The Unlikely Ghost
by Imicksay
Summary: Satsuki meets this strange young girl who is plauged by her once boyfriend. She must find a way to save this girl and also save the ones she loves.
1. Chapter 1

ok. this is my first time ever posting fanfiction. i've written it before, but never posted it, so don't like hate it or anything. well, i hope everyone who reads also enjoys.

The ghost girl

The wind blew hard against the old school house as Hajime and I walked by. We both shot worried glances over there before hurrying on towards our destination. My thoughts were scrambled as my house came into view and my heart was beating faster than normal. Hajime looked at me curiously.

"Satsuki, are you all right?" he asked me.

I nodded. "Yeah, it's just…well…something's _wrong_."

He looked at me, a worried expression plastered on his face. "Wrong how?"

"I don't know. It started when we passed the old school house and now I just can't shake it. It's not like the appearance of a ghost. I don't know _what_ it is."

Hajime nodded before stepping into his front yard. "Well, if you need anything just give me a call, all right?"

"Yeah, sure." I muttered then walked up to my house. The door stood open a crack and my heart skipped a beat. I ran inside and down the hall. "Keiichirou!" I screamed out my younger brother's name before I even thought about how worried I was about him. "Keiichirou!"

The boy appeared in front of me and I nearly fell over. "Jeez, Keiichirou, you nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Well, you were calling me. What is it? You sounded scared."

"Have you seen anything strange?"

He shook his head. "No, I only got home a second ago."

My heart returned to its normal beating then I growled in frustration. "You left the front door open. What were you thinking?"

"Oh, I thought I had closed it. It's no big deal, Satsuki."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. Then marched up the stairs to my bedroom. I sat down on my bed with its many pillows before letting my eyes drift shut.

The noise of someone screaming awoke me. I scrambled to my feet a looked around my dark room. How long had I been asleep? And who was that screaming?

I raced down the stairs and out into the living room where Keiichirou sat on couch screeching as if he had just seen a ghost (which didn't surprise me much.) while his eyes were fixed on the TV screen where he was watching The Mummy. I rolled my eyes and sat down onto the couch next to my brother.

"Would, you, quit screaming. You're gonna wake up the dead."

"Like that would be anything new." He muttered.

"Shut up." I said as I stood up and walked away back up to my bedroom.. I shivered and tried to get rid of that feeling that had just suddenly come. I walked over to my nightstand and picked up the phone. I quickly dialed Hajime's number. He answered on the fourth ring.

"Hello?" He voice sounded tired.

"Hajime? It's Satsuki. I was wondering…if you could…well…Do you want to go for a walk?"

Silence followed my question.

"Hajime?"

No answer.

"Hajime!"

"What?"

"Did you hear me? Bout the walk. I mean it's not a date. I just want to talk about…ghosts and stuff."

"Sure. I'll be over in a little bit."

We hung up then I went downstairs and stopped in the living room where only moments ago Keiichirou had sat watching the TV. I glance around, my heart speeding up again. "Keiichirou!" I raced into the kitchen and I let out a sigh of relief. The boy stood at the refrigerator's headphones over his ears while he looked for something to eat.

"Keiichirou!" I shouted into his music filled ear. He glance up at me then pulled the headphones down so they lay around his neck.

"What?" he asked the annoyed tone not hard to miss.

"I'm going for a walk with…I'm going for a walk. I'll be back in a little while. Don't go anywhere and don't open the door for strangers. Do you understand?"

He grinned at me. "You're going with Hajime aren't you."

"No. I don't like Hajime."

"Yeah, right. _Hajime and Satsuki sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love then comes marriage. Here comes their baby sitting in a baby carriage. That's not all. That's not all. Here comes a kid playing basket ball. That's not all. That's not all. Here comes a kid playing with a Barbie doll_." he sang.

"Shut up!" I shouted lunging at the boy. He laughed and easily dodged me. I was now blind with rage as I stormed out of the house slamming the door behind me.

Hajime was waiting beside his house when I stepped onto the street. He sprinted to catch up with me then stopped.

"What's wrong, Satsuki." he asked.

I shook my head. "It's nothing. Just Keiichirou."

"Oh. I get it."

We walked in silence for a while then Hajime brought up the subject about the ghosts. "So what was it about the ghosts that you wanted to talk about?"

"I got that funny feeling again. In my room after Keiichirou freaked out while watching the Mummy. I mean it feels so weird and I just can't place it."

"Do you think that it would be in the ghost diary?"

"No. I already told you that I don't think that it's a ghost. It feels different."

Hajime nodded his head. "Ok."

We walked in silence again until the old school house came into the view. I stopped my walking and turned to look at Hajime. "Do you feel it?" I asked him.

He cocked his head to the side then slowly nodded. "Yes. Yeah, just slightly though."

We walked up to the old building my breath coming out quick and raspy. Never in my life had I felt such total and complete fear. Never before. I looked up at the walls that had peeling paint and the shutters that hung from only one hinge. The fear welled up inside of me.

Suddenly my blood ran cold as the air in front of me shimmered and began to grow heavier and thicker. I scooted closer to Hajime for protection, but he didn't seem to see it. He only glance at me, his eyebrows raised, then said in a slow voice.

"Satsuki, I…I…I didn't know—"

"Shh. Don't you see it? Don't you _feel_ it? The energy? The power? The fear?"

He looked around then his breathing stopped. The air was now swirling and blowing our clothing and hair in every direction. I leaned closer to Hajime tears stinging my eyes.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I don't know. Get the ghost diary."

I nodded and pulled the old book out of my backpack. I flipped through the pages. Looking for something. Anything. The wind had finally taken on a form. A young girl about our age. Her face was pale and she had long black hair. Her black eyes lay sunken inside of her head. Neither me nor Hajime said anything. We just stared at the girl or ghost or whatever she was. The ghost girl blinked slowly as she stared at us then let a whoosh of air escape out of her mouth. I began to turn the pages of the ghost diary as fast as I could searching for a way to get rid of this girl.

"It's not in here, Hajime!" I screamed. "I don't know how to get rid of her!"

The girl glanced at me then took a step forward.

"Don't move!" Hajime shouted, then leaned over the book to help me.

The girl rolled her eyes then whispered in a quiet echoing voice. "You won't find anythin' 'bout me in that ol' book o' yours."

I looked back up at her. "And what makes you think that?"

"Cause I ain't no ghost." she grinned at me. "And anyway I think you should be lookin' for a way to get rid o' my…uh…partner. If you'd like to call 'im that." She grinned again. "Would ya quit wastin' your time lookin' for me in the ol' book cause there ain't no way I'm in there."

Hajime ignored the girl and continued whipping through the pages. I stared at her then said in a shaking voice. "Then what are you. You just appeared here."

Her smile faded. "I'm human just like you and your friend, but I'm a little different, that's all."

"No. There's no way that you're human. You just freaking appeared in front of me!"

She wagged her head. "If only you could understand."

"Keep looking, Hajime." I said over my shoulder. "Look for a ghost that doesn't know she's a ghost."

As we both stared at the book's pages the girl took her leave. Slowly walking down the street. Or was she gliding?

ok. so that's my first chapter. hope everyone who read also enjoyed. i'll be writing more soon.


	2. The dark figure

Author: ok. here's the second chapter. I hope everyone who reads enjoys. again. well, this is where it'll get a little more confusing cause I add a new character and he's kinda whacked out. well read it and weep.

Dark figure

We raced down every street until we came to Leo's house. Hajime pounded on the door until it opened. Leo leaned his head out looking tired. His hair disheveled and his eyes all puffy.

"Leo!" I shouted although he stood right in front of me. "You have to come with us and quick!"

He stared at us for a second then opened the door wider. "What's wrong with you Satsuki? You're acting as if you just had an encounter with a ghost."

I looked away from him and he gave a heavy sigh. "OK. What do you need me to do?"

"Just look around for a creepy ghost girl with black hair and black eyes."

"Black eyes?"

"Yes. Black eyes."

"Are you sure they were black? Cause I mean who has black eyes?"

"Leo, she had black eyes, now drop the subject."

He held his hands up in defense. "OK. OK. I get the picture. Black eyes. Got it. Well, I'll keep my eyes peeled and I'll be sure to inform you if I see anything suspicious."

I nodded.

He then shut the door. Hajime and I walked down the street in mute silence his arm resting tenderly on my shoulder. Nothing made a sound until Momoko walked up behind. She yanked Hajime away from me her face bearing an angry scowl.

"What is wrong with you two!" She screamed.

I blinked away tears furiously at being separated from Hajime. He shrugged his shoulders then said in his sweetest voice. "I was only trying to comfort Satsuki. You know how she can be."

I stared at them for several seconds before marching away tears of betrayal spilling onto my cheeks. How could he? How could he do that to me? The old school house was now in front of me and I stopped to stare at it. I stepped up to the door and went inside.

While there Hajime was marching down the street to find me. Momoko walked beside him her arm wrapped around his waist. She was smirking slightly, but Hajime didn't seem to notice.

"Oh, Hajime. Don't worry about Satsuki. She'll come around." She practically sneered.

He glanced over at her. "Are you sure?"

"Oh, yeah. You know how she is."

Hajime nodded, but continued his search. "I don't feel right leaving her out here all by herself. It would be wrong. What if she gets hurt. What if she gets killed. It would be all my fault."

"Does it matter. You don't love her. You love me. Or did you forget?"

He shook his head. "No. I love you, Momoko."

She grinned. "Well, let's go to my house. It will be so much nicer there, don't you think?"

He nodded slowly a frown on his face. "Maybe, but…" He glanced around. "I don't want to leave Satsuki out here all by herself. It wouldn't be right. Why don't you go over to your house and I'll catch up with you later? OK?"

"Oh, Hajime, just forget about Satsuki. She's only trying to come between you and me. Have you seen how she looks at you lately? She's obviously in love with you."

Hajime stared at Momoko stupidly. "Do you really think so?"

"Oh, please, Hajime. I know so. I—" She stopped and stared at the boy beside her. "What on earth are you thinking, Hajime. You can't possibly be falling for her. Can you?"

"Uh…of course not. I'm loyal, Momoko. When I love someone I don't cheat on them."

She smirked to herself. _And the beast has fallen into my trap. He will be gone. Forever._

I leaned against the wall my feelings hurt and broken. I didn't know what to do anymore. I really did love Hajime, but there was no way that I could tell him. He loved Momoko and all I was to him was a…was a friend. I slammed my fist against the wall a dent appearing underneath my fist.

"Don't go makin' holes in the wall now." A voice said behind me.

I whirled around to look at the ghost girl, her black hair was pulled back into a ponytail and her eyes sparkled at me. "The wall ain't to blame. What's wrong?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure that you'll understand."

"Try me."

I sighed. "Have you ever loved anyone so much, but then they stabbed you in the back?"

She slowly nodded. "Yes."

"Well, that's what happened. And I just can't stand it anymore. Do you know what he said? He said, 'You know how she can be.' What on earth is that supposed to mean. Him and Momoko are probably off somewhere kissing."

"Who's Momoko?" The girl asked me.

"His girlfriend, I guess. But it's just that I really do love him and now there's no way that I can tell him that."

The girl nodded, but she didn't seem to be here with me anymore. In some fantasy world. I looked at her curiously then heaved out a big sigh. She glanced over at me then smiled. "Come with me." she said silently. "I know what to do." Her smile made her whole face glow and made her eyes sparkle like the stars in the sky. I stared at her for a while then nodded a smile brightening my features. "OK. Let's go." I said cheerfully.

Hajime and Momoko were just nearing the girl's house when the ghost girl and I came into the view. The pair of people stopped in mid-step, Hajime breaking into a smile and Momoko gasping. She shoved past her boyfriend to stand between him and me or so I thought.

"No!" She shouted.

The ghost girl looked at Momoko curiously then her usual cheery face darkened and she pointed a trembling finger at the other girl. "Go back to where you came from." She said so softly that I could barely hear her and I doubted that Momoko did, but I was wrong. Momoko stared at the girl by my side her mouth twisting into a hideous grin.

"If I go, Zoë, then you will come with me. You deserve the eternal fire too. Your heart is as black as mine."

The ghost girl, Zoë, flinched then quickly regained her composure. "No! You can't see my heart. You can't possible know what condition it lay in."

Momoko laughed a cruel and heartless laugh. "Zoë, dear. You forget that I control you."

Hajime stood there staring in complete bewilderment then he said in a whisper. "Momoko, what is with you?"

She turned on him a wild fire burning in her eyes. "Stay out of this, Human!"

He stiffened as she turned back to Zoë.

The ghost girl took a deep breath. "No more. No more. Come outta her. You don't belong there. Not anymore. Come out now."

Momoko grinned. "You think that you have power over me? Ha! Never! You are just my pathetic little tool that I can control whenever I please."

"You can't control me! Not anymore! My heart belongs to someone else. Now come outta the girl."

Momoko let out a piercing wail and I could only stare in shock. Hajime rushed over to Zoë and grabbed her shoulders. Shaking her he cried. "What did you do to her?"

"You will thank me for this someday. Believe me."

He shook his head then nodded in Momoko's direction who was down on the ground still screeching and crying "Look at her. She's hurt or something."

Zoë shook her head. "No. She's bein' freed."

Both Hajime and I looked over at her in confusion, but our bewilderment was only short lived. Momoko had stopped writhing around on the ground and was now still a teenager standing above her. He had long black hair down to his lower back and his eyes gleamed a color as black as coal. His body was covered in black garments and he wore a hideous expression on his face. A mix between a scowl and a grimace.

Zoë stood there breathing hard as she stared at the dark figure. The boy finally broke into a smile, but it was a smile I would never want to see again. "Brilliant, Zoë, brilliant." He hissed.

The ghost girl continued to stare. "Is the girl…dead."

He glanced down at the still body by his feet. "No." he looked back up at Zoë. "But that won't be the same for you." At that he lunged at the stunned girl pushing her to the ground.

Hajime rushed over to Momoko's body and checked for a pulse. When he was sure that she was alive and scrambled to his feet and came to stand in front of me. "The ghost diary." He said simply.

I nodded and quickly retrieved it, but once again there was nothing about this ghost before us. I looked back over to where the two 'ghosts' lay wrestling on the ground and I could have sworn that the boy now had teeth and claws. I rushed over to help Zoë but I was just flung away as if I had been made of paper. Hajime knelt down beside me. "Are you alright?" he asked.

I nodded then climbed to my feet. "Hajime, that isn't a human. There's no possible way that it could be. Do you see…see the teeth…and the claws or is it just my imagination."

"No I see them alright."

Zoë finally shoved the boy off her and climbed to her feet. "Go away!" She shouted. "You are not wanted here anymore!"

The boy let out a long scream before vanishing. I stared in shock and Hajime's mouth hung open ever so slightly. We both turned to look at the girl, but she was now walking down the street. I ran to catch up with her and so did Hajime after one more look at Momoko. We stopped Zoë who had tears spilling down over her pale cheeks.

"What is it?" I asked. "Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head. "Not really. Well, nothin' that I can't handle. It's just…well…do you remember when we were talkin' before. 'bout people stabbin' others in the back."

I nodded noticing how the girl made sure that she didn't mention my name or Hajime's. Not that she even knew his name, but that is beside the point. She continued. "Well, that boy…he…we…well…I useta like 'im." Her eyes closed as she began to imagine the times they must have spent together, or at least that's what I guessed. She continued. "He was the only boy I had ever loved before. No one could ever match to how sweet he was. He always placed me first. He was so romantic. And I really did love him, but then one day…" Zoë faltered then started again. " One day he was gone and somethin' must have happened to him cause when he came back…he was so different. He would hit me and talk about blood. I was afraid. I just had to leave. I took everythin' that I needed and I left. Now I would like to say that that's the end to my story, but it ain't.

"He kept comin' back. Appearin' before me like a ghost which made me assume that whoever poisoned his mind also gave him powers to do what ever they desired of him to do. And 'course he started killin' people. At first only a few, but then he began to kill hundreds maybe thousands. They sent bounty hunters after him, but they were just killed. And…I…I just can't take it any longer. I say that I wish he would just die… to end all my pain. To end everyone's pain, but to be truthful, I don't want him to die, cause I love him so much even after what he did to me."

I stared at her, and so did Hajime. "Well…" he said. "Nice story and all, but what did you say his name was and what is he?"

I smiled slightly. Hajime could be so to the point.

Zoë blinked then began to speak again. "His name is Rene. And he is…human…or was human. But now I would say that he is a demon. He sold his soul to the devil."

Hajime nodded then began to walk back over to Momoko who was still unconscious on the ground. He lifted her up and carried her up to her house where he knocked on the front door. Her mother answered the door with a gasp and quickly grabbed her daughter out of Hajime's hands, then slammed the door shut on his face after shouting, "I'll never let you touch my poor Momoko ever again!"

Hajime let out a long sigh when he was standing next to me again. He seemed so disappointed and I couldn't help, but feel sorry for him. Although I loved him, I wanted what was best for him which meant him falling in love with Momoko. I heaved a great sigh then marched up to Momoko's front door. I could feel Hajime's eyes following me all the way. I knocked gently on the door and waited for someone to answer and to my relief no one did. So I was happy, but deep down inside I was devastated. I so badly wanted to make my friend happy. I was being torn in two my all of this. To love Hajime and have him marry me or to give my love over to Momoko and never let him know how much I cared for him.

I finally spun around and ran over to Hajime. I threw my arms around his neck and buried my face into his chest. I wept bitter tears that seemed to refresh me and make me a new person. I looked up into Hajime's eyes then pulled his head down. Our mouths met and we kissed. My heart fluttered inside my chest and my mind scrambled around. This is what I had always dreamed of. This is what I had always wished for. Now my future was about to begin.

Author: So? how'd you like it? exciting? weird? boring? thrilling? confusing? take a pick. well, please review.


	3. The Old School House

Author: Ok. I hoped everyone liked that last chapter. Now on with the next. Here's a heads up: this part is a little weird so…be prepared.

The old school house

Zoë just stood there, taking deep breaths and trying not to sob, but it didn't work too well. Every once in a while her body would wrack with the silent weeping that was filling her mind, her heart, and not to mention her soul and spirit. I had a feeling that Zoë was once a girl of great faith until her life got torn apart by…by that creature, Rene.

So, now my life was perfect. I had Hajime. But would I be able to enjoy it with this girl so terribly in pain. So terribly depressed. No. How could I? I couldn't stand there watching her fight her pain while I stood there kissing my man. No.

I walked over to Zoë and gave her a hug. "Hey." I said slowly. "Don't feel too bad. I'm sure you'll find someone else to love."

She shook her head. "No. Ya don't understand. I don't wanna love anyone else. Only 'im. He was mine 'n I was 'is. I don't know what to do anymore."

I nodded. "OK. Well, why don't you give someone else a chance. There are lots of nice guys in the world."

Zoë sneered at me. "Yeah. Thatsa why ya wouldn't fall in love with anyone else. Only your sweet ol' man over there." She jerked her thumb in the direction of Hajime.

"That's different, Zoë. Hajime can love me back. And…Rene…he can't love you back. Don't you see. He will never love you again. Find someone else. What about Amanojako?"

"Who or what is that?"

I grinned. "Oh, it's a cat-ish thing."

She nodded. "I like cats. You should see my room. It's…" she stopped suddenly, took a deep breath and started up again. "It's filled with lots and lots of cat things. I collect. Or I usedta collect. Not anymore."

"Why?" I couldn't help my curiosity.

She gave me a wary glance. "Well, I…I haven't been to my home in over a year. And…I haven't seen my family in over a year 'n a half." She shrugged. "But I'm over it…for now." She glanced up at me. "Sometimes I lie awake at night thinkin' 'bout how my life used to be 'n I just so want to go back. To get away from all the pain 'n all." She gave a heavy sigh. "But…it's over for that life. This is all I got left." She held her arms out. "My body, spirit, soul, and pain. Nothin' else. Only this."

I shook my head. "That's not true, Zoë. You have me. I'm your friend."

She looked at me her eyes filled with anger. "Oh, yeah. So thatsa why ya haven't told me your name yet. Or your friend's. Or anyone you even know just a little.. Only the ol' cat Amanojako. Yeah. What a great friend."

"Zoë —"

"No! Ima sick of this. Ima sick of you. Ima sick of your friend and his accusing me o' bein' a ghost. Ima sick of everythin'."

"But if you're not a ghost, what are you?"

Her eyes blazed with fire as she answered. "Ima human. What else would I be if I ain't no ghost? A vampire? Well, I'm sorry. I dunno if them blood sucking things are real here, but where I come from they ain't. So there ain't no way that I'm a vamp. And anyways, ghosts don't exist where I come from, either. That proves that I ain't no ghost either. So go 'way 'n leave me alone to die in my hurt."

I took a deep breath. "Zoë…"

"And quit youra talkin' to me, will ya?"

"But…please."

"No. I'm through with all o' this. Go 'way. Now."

"Wha —"

"NO! STOP IT! NOW!" Zoë screamed at the top of her lungs before whirling around and marching down the street her head in her hands.

I felt a stab of pain ripple through my body, but I had done what I could for her. There was nothing left. I turned back towards Hajime who had been watching the whole time, then threw my arms around his neck as I wept into his chest.

"Oh, Hajime! What's wrong with me? Why couldn't I help her? I've always been able to put ghosts to rest. So, why couldn't I help her?"

"Satsuki, a ghost doesn't have a soul. Humans do. They're tougher to deal with. Just try not to worry about it."

His arms were around me and I sank into him, still mourning for my uselessness. We walked home together. Hajime let me lean on him for support as I still cried and sobbed. When we stopped in front of my house, where my parents still hadn't gotten home yet, he let go of me and gave me one final kiss on the lips, before walking into his own house.

When I stepped inside the front door, Keiichirou was all over me, asking questions and accusing me of lying. I stared at him stupidly, not entirely comprehending anything the boy told me. I collapsed onto the couch with a weary sigh, then quickly turned to my brother.

"Keiichirou!" I nearly screamed with excitement at my brilliance. "You're good with people, right? So could you do me a favor?"

He looked at me with suspicion. "Since when are you so nice to me?"

"Keiichirou!"

"OK, OK. What is the so called favor?"

"Well, there's this girl and she's having difficulty coping with life and all after a terrible break up with the one she loved. And I just want you to talk to her. OK?"

He cocked his head to the side. "Yeah, sure. But _why_ don't you do it?"

"Because! I already tried! It just didn't work! And know I feel like an utterly useless fool who has no good in her!"

"Oh, Satsuki, don't say that. I think that you're a wonderful sister."

I looked over at him. "Really?"

"Really. Now I'll be back later. If I find this girl then I'll talk to her, but if I don't then you need to help me find her."

"But, Keii! I can't face her anymore! She basically blew me off, before. I can't face her again. Don't make me do it!"

"OK, fine. But do you know where I could find her?"

I though it over then gave a hesitant nod before blurting out. "But you can't go there."

"Whatever. Where is it?"

She hesitated then reluctantly said. "The old school house, but please, _please_, don't go there. I'm practically begging you. Don't. Go. There."

"I won't." _Unless I can't find her._ He failed to mention those last few words to me, though.

As I ranted and raved inside my house Keiichirou made his trek down the street towards the old school house the exact place that I did not want him to be going.

His feet padded silently on the pavement like a…well, like a ghost. His hair blew steadily in the breeze and his clothes ruffled up against his body. The rickety building soon came into view and stopped dead in his tracks. Taking a deep breath he marched into the front door. The hallway was dark and the walls needed a new painting job. Everything was quiet except for the beating of the young boys heart as he walked down the tiled floor and the sound of the wind whipping against the building's walls.

He slowed to a stop and glanced around at the deserted classrooms wondering which one to try first. He finally stepped into the room on his left and as luck would have it found Zoë sitting at a desk staring up at the front of the room as if someone were there teaching a class. Keiichirou shivered then sat down in the seat next to the ghost girl. She glanced over at him for a second before turning back to her original thing.

"Hey look." Keii said slowly. "I'm Keiichirou Miyanoshita."

The ghost girl glanced at him again. "Zoë, but…Shh. We aren't supposed to talk in class. If the teacher catches us we might get a detention."

The boy glanced to the front of the room then back to Zoë. "Uh…there's no one here except you and me."

"Shh!"

She stared intently at the rotting blackboard her eyes filled with pleasure.

"What's he teaching about?" Keii asked her.

She sent him an annoyed look. "_She_. She's teachin' 'bout algebra. You wouldn't understand it. You're way to young for such complicated things."

He snorted. "Well, thanks a bunch."

"Look, Keiichirou, I know that you're just doin' this cause your sister told ya to, but don't. I'm perfectly fine the way I am and don't need no one to interfere with my ways."

"Hey, are you sure that you're right in the head because just so you know this building is the old school house and no one comes here anymore. No teachers. No students. No…hold on a second! How on earth did you know that my sister sent me here? I never mentioned anything about that! How did you even know that I had a sister?"

Zoë grinned at the boys astonishment. "I can read ya like an open book. 'n anyways Satsuki said that that was her last name. 'n if ya weren't her bro then ya wouldn't have that last name considering it's unique and I sure no one else has it."

Keii's face turned red. "Oh. Oops."

The ghost girl laughed. "You're funny. I think I like ya. 'n I don't say that to most people. You're a special boy, Keiichirou."

"You can call me Keii. That's what my sister calls me. And my friends but no one else. So now _you're_ special."

She laughed again. "Well, I guess I am special."

Keiichirou glanced to the front of the room. "Wait, what happened to your algebra class?"

"Oh." she grinned. "It ended. But the teacher said that ya and me had to stay behind… 'n be punished. 'n ya don't want to even know 'bout the punishment but to experience them…that's terrible. I know one girl who passed a note durin' class 'n the teacher…she drove a nail through the poor girl's hands. 'n oh how she screamed. It shattered that window right over there."

Keii stared at her, his eyes wide with fear. Zoë laughed so hard that the room echoed with the sound, then she stopped suddenly and looked at the young boy a grin plastered on her face. "I was only kiddin', boy."

"So…so…the teacher isn't going to stick a nail through my hand."

The ghost girl looked confused. "What? Are ya sure that you're right in the head. There ain't no teacher. What are you thinkin'?"

"But…but…you said that the teacher was teaching algebra. I…"

Zoë laughed again. "It was a joke. I was tryin' to get rid of ya by makin' ya think that I wassa crazy girl."

"Oh." His face turned red again, then he brightened up and grinned at her. "Well, then since you're not crazy and you're tame and all, maybe I could take you home as a pet."

"Yeah. That woulda be nice. I'll be you're puppy doggie." Her smile stretched across her face. "Would you like that…Keii?"

He shook his head vigorously. "Oh, yes! You know I've never had any real friends. You're my first one. Do you like scary movies cause I love scary movies. I was watching the mummy the other day and it was so scary. I nearly jumped out of my skin. I'm not really sure if that's possible, but it sure is funny to think about. I mean the beetles really scared me and all. And then when that guy lost his eyes…ahhhh!…that was horrifying."

Zoë grinned at him, a joyful expression. "Hey come on, Keii! I'll race you to your house!" and at that she took off out of the old school house headed in the Miyanoshita residence.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Author: So how'd ya'll like that chapter? But do you know what's really weird? I actually wrote the chapter after this one before this one. who knows why.


	4. Chapter 4

Author: sorry, but this chapter does not have a name because even with my highly creative mind (cough, cough) I can't think of a single thing. oh well. I hope ya'll enjoy and keep on reviewing.

**Chapter Four**

I could see them walking up the street, hand in hand, I might add. It infuriated me and I slammed my fist against the wall. When the door opened I raced out of the room and up the stairs to my bedroom. I could hear Keiichirou talking in his soft sweet voice, then the ghost girl's reply. They were talking about…the mummy? What were they talking about that for. Oh well.

"Hey, Satsuki! Your friend is here! Where are you?"

I ignored his yelling, only concentrated on digging through my dresser drawers for something dark to wear. Something to express my mood. I found a black blouse and black mini skirt and hurriedly put them on.

Now I know I have a pair of black knee high socks. The only problem: I have no idea where they are. I thought in my head. (what other kind of thinking is there?)

"AHA!" I cried then quickly slapped a hand over my mouth to muffle my excited yell. Hopefully Keiichirou hadn't heard me. No such luck.

"Satsuki, was that you? Hey, come on downstairs! Your friend is here! She wishes to speak with you! Hurry up!"

I groaned then pulled on the socks before slipping on a pair of knee high boots which totally and completely covered up the knee high socks so I don't get the point of wearing both. I walked out into the hallway and down the stairs taking my dear old time, knowing that when I got there that I would have to face the ghost girl.

The two people finally came into view as I left the safety of the stairs. Zoë looked straight into my face. "Satsuki." she said nodding her head at me. "How are ya? Sorry about bitin' your head off 'fore."

"That's okay." I replied shrugging my shoulders, but that was not how I really felt. For some reason or another I was holding a grudge against the ghost girl. "Hey look, I think that I'm just going to go hang out in my room for a little while. Please, _please_, don't bug me while I'm up there."

"Fine." Keiichirou said holding up a hand to keep me from saying any more. "But I do have one question for you. What's up with all the black? And…"

"Hey!" I cut in. "You said one question not two!"

"Whatever."

"And I'm wearing black because…I'm depressed…ish…or…uh…something like that. Yeah. That's it. Now leave me alone."

I began to walk up the stairs but once again Keii stopped me with his obnoxious voice. "Satsuki, your shirt is inside out!"

I screamed in frustration and slammed my door shut.

I punched in the telephone number for the Aoyama's. It rang three times before I finally heard Hajime's father on the other end.

"Hey!" I cried. "Is Hajime there at this particular moment. It's an emergency!"

"OK. Hold on a second."

I could hear him calling his sons name and in a few seconds Hajime was talking over the phone. "Hey, Satsuki. What's wrong? Are you OK?"

"Physically? Yes. Mentally? Yes. Emotionally? NO! I'm a freaking nervous wreck here!"

"Calm down. Just tell me what's going on."

"Well, I told Keii that he was, you know, good with people and that he should try to talk to Zoë, but guess what he did. No, don't guess. I'll tell you. He brought her here! To my house! My father is so going to freak! I mean what on earth am I supposed to tell him? 'Oh yeah, dad, forgot to say that this is my new friend. We met when her psychotic boyfriend possessed my best friend then tried to kill her. But it's no biggie.' NO FREAKIN' WAY! He is so going to flip over this!"

"Satsuki." His voice was so calm that it made me sick. "Just calm down and we can talk about this. Maybe your dad will just let her stay. Maybe."

"Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. That does not help me!"

"Hey! You called me! I never said that I could think up a solution for this. Think it up yourself. I'm busy!"

"Hajime! Please! I don't know what to do anymore. I'm at the end of my rope! Can you at least come over and talk with me! I need to see a familiar face."

He sighed. "Okay. I'll see you in…about…five minutes. Bye."

"Good-bye.'

I hung the phone up, but it instantly rang again. "Hello?"

"You are such a jerk, Satsuki Miyanoshita! Burn and die!"

"Excuse me?" But the mysterious person had already hung up. Oh well.

ten minutes later.

The door bell rang and I jumped to my feet, flung open the door, and yanked Hajime inside. "You're late!" I screeched. "I was freaking out here! Keiichirou is upstairs playing all the scary parts in all the scary movies he has to Zoë!"

"Oh, well…uh…I'm here."

"Uh…yeah. I know that. Please have a seat." I said motioning for him to sit down on the couch. He obeyed me and instantly snatched up the remote for the TV.

"Hey!" I cried out reaching for the electronical device. "What on earth do you think you're doing?"

"Our TV broke. I haven't watched a single program in the past…five days."

"Oh my freaking gosh! You are so going to die." I lunged for the remote and snatched it out of his hand before falling onto the floor with the grace of an elephant.

"Oh come on, Satsuki. I want to watch MTV."

"I do not believe in MTV. It's fool of disgusting things." I turned to TV off. "Now. I just want to talk with my boyfriend. Is that too much to ask?"

"Well, no. Shoot away."

"Well, I guess the real problem is…I hate Zoë."

"What?! But I thought that you wanted to help her, but now you're saying that you don't want to help her and that she could die for all you care."

I sighed. "Did you even hear me mutter those words?"

"No."

"Then don't think about that. The thing is…Zoë's so perfect. I mean her hair is straight black as for mine. Ugly red-brown hair. She has the perfect complexion. Possibly a little too pale but I could deal with that. And who really cares if her eyes are black? They sparkle with something that I don't think I'll ever be able to obtain. She can laugh so easily. And all I can do is cry. She won't fall in love with anyone except her one true love who, if I might remind you, wants her to die. And then there's me. Sure you are my one true love, but I won't lie to you. Before we were dating I was hitting on all these other guys. I couldn't keep my eyes off them. So yeah. She's like an angel which would make me a devil."

"Satsuki…"

"Don't try to comfort me, Hajime, by telling me that I am beautiful because I know that I'm not. No guy has ever asked me out before. Except for you, but that doesn't count because we were meant to be together so….yeah. But the thing is…I'm sure lots of people love Zoë, but she just won't go out with them because they're not like her evil boyfriend."

"I think that you're being too harsh on yourself."

"No, I just want to be like her."

His hand went up to my cheek and he touched me ever so gently. "Don't say that. I wouldn't want you to change at all. Not if my life depended on it. I didn't fall in love with you for looks, though you are very pretty. I fell in love with you because of your personality. You're easy going, loving, caring, and thoughtful. There are so many words to describe you that I'm not even going to try and name them all, but I just want you to know that…I fell in love with Satsuki Miyanoshita for who she really is." And at that he kissed me.

**To be continued…**

Author: So that's my fourth chapter. kinda mushy if you ask me. sorry if it sounds retarded though because I'm not that great with love. well get ready for chapter five.


	5. At the Miyanoshita's

"Nope. Never even seen the first Grudge. But it does look very scary."

"Do you want to watch it?" Keiichirou looked up at Zoë eagerly. "Right now. Together. Just you and me?"

"Sure that would be nice."

At the end of the movie if anyone happened to look in the room they would have seen the young boy snuggled up next to the ghost girl fast asleep.

The vase shattered sending the fragments of glass clattering to the floor.

"Satsuki Miyanoshita." The girl said. "You will pay for what you've done. You will pay. I HATE you!"

We fell asleep together on the couch, my head resting gently on his shoulder. When my eyes finally flickered open it was five hours later and my dad was home staring down at the two of us. I bolted up right waking Hajime up in the process.

"Oh my word!" I screamed. "Dad! What are you doing home so early?"

He narrowed his eyes at me. "I'm not early. I'm actually an hour late."

My eyes were very wide. "We weren't… it wasn't… we didn't… no!"

"That's definitely what it looks like, Satsuki. Now I want him to leave."

Hajime sat up. "Uh…hello! I am sitting right here. If you want to talk about me. Address me."

My dad glanced at him. "I want you to leave this house, right now."

My boyfriend climbed to his feet, but he stopped moving and looked down at me. "Satsuki, what about…you know…Zoë?"

I jumped to my feet. "Dad! I want you to meet my friend!"

He glanced at me then looked around the room as if someone were hiding there waiting to jump out at him at any moment. "I don't see anyone."

"She's upstairs. With Keiichirou watching scary movies."

"She's with Keiichirou? Alone?"

"Uh…yeah. So?"

His eyes narrowed again. "How well do you know this girl, Satsuki? Did you meet her at school or just somewhere?"

"Dad? Do you think that I'm a good daughter?"

He was taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"Do you think that I qualify as a good daughter. Or do you think I need some obedience lessons? And some plastic surgery." This last part I muttered under my breath, but my father still seemed to hear it anyways.

"Plastic surgery?! What on earth are you thinking?!"

I was cornered now, but I wouldn't give in. "I'm a terrible daughter! And a terrible friend!" I tried my best to get tears to spill out of my eyes and I was doing a pretty good job. My father was stunned. He wrapped his arms around me and said in a touched voice. "What would make you think that you're anything less than perfect."

"Well…well…my friend…her house burned down and she has no where to live now. And she's and orphan so…so…she's all alone." I instantly stopped crying. "Can she stay here with me?"

"Her house burned down? That's terrible! And she's an orphan? Oh! Of course she can stay here!" And at that he walked out of the room to go make dinner.

A grin spread across my face. "I scored twice!"

"Twice?" Hajime.

"Yeah! First he said that Zoë could stay there, then…and this is the best part! He said…well not exactly said, but you get the idea…that you can stay here. At least he didn't make you leave." My smile was so wide that someone could have wrapped it around the world…a couple dozen times.

Hajime laughed at my obvious excitement. "Well." he said, still laughing. "I guess we have to go and break this terrible news to Zoë. What do you think?"

"Oh, of course."

WE climbed up the stairs and I knocked gently on my brother's door. When there was no answer, I called out to him. "Keii? Keii, are you in here? Answer me! Keii? Are. You. In. This. Room?" There was still no answer so I pushed the heavy door open and sighed with relief.

Keiichirou and Zoë lay on the bed asleep, the credits for the Grudge still playing on the TV. I walked over to them and gently shook my brothers shoulder. He groaned and pulled a pillow down over his head and muttered a few muffled words. "Just five more minutes, Sask."

I laughed at that, then pulled the pillow away from him. "Come on get up! I have some good news for you!"

He sat up---very reluctantly, but you get the idea---and waited patiently for me to continue.

"Well, Zoë can stay here—"

"Yes!"

And at Keiichirou's outburst Zoë awoke and lifting her head up said in a voice burdened with sleep. "Who lit the on fire?"

"Very funny." I threw Keii's pillow at her and she caught it with a laugh. I turned back to my brother. "For now, but I can't make any guarantees that it'll be forever."

"Hey, one day is better than no day."

"Uhuh."

"Huh? What's going on here?" The ghost girl asked.

Hajime spoke up. "You get to stay here with Satsuki and Keiichirou."

She grinned. "Cool!"

_She won't be able to hide forever. I'll find her it it's the last thing that I do._

We were sitting at the dinner table and this is where I began my downfall.

"So, Zoë." My father said, turning to face the girl. "How is it to lose your parents and your home all in one single night?"

Her eyes grew very wide at this. "How did you know?"

"Oh. Satsuki told me. About your house burning down. Was the fire electrical or do you think that someone intentionally did it?"

"Wha— my house—"

"Dad!" I cut in. "Zoë doesn't like to talk about what happened . Do you, Zo."

Her eyes seemed to shimmer like jewels. "Actually, I would love to talk about what happened to me." She shot me an annoyed glance. "But most people don't believe me even when they've seen impossible things happen." Her eyes bore into mine. "Like appearing our of nowhere."

My dad opened his mouth to say something, but the ghost girl continued her speech. Downfall number two.

"No one can really understand what it's like for me. Not even if it has happened to them. It's just life has always been hard for me. You know, not fitting in at school, being overweight, not being able to have anyone love me for who I really am." Her eyes had misted over at this point.

"Zoë, you don't have to talk about this." I reasoned with her.

"No, I have to. You might believe me."

Keiichirou, who was sitting next to the ghost girl, piped up and saved me from destruction…for the moment. "Is Zoë coming to school with us?"

My dad's head shot up. "She doesn't go there?"

A lie jumped instantly to my lips. Downfall number three. "She used to go to a private school, but can't afford to go there anymore."

The girl seemed to flinch slightly, but I couldn't place my finger on the reason for her obvious distress. She quickly finished her food and climbed to her feet.

"I'm done." she announced. "I'll be in the guest room if anyone needs me." And at that she left.

_Beauty comes with a price._

_Love comes with and expense._

_Danger follows perfection._

_Heartbreak follows me._

_For every footstep_

_I stumble._

_For every breath_

_I choke._

_For every heartbeat_

_I die._

_Why do I crave beauty?_

_When it only leads to disgrace?_

_Why do I crave love?_

_When it only leads to pain?_

_Why do I follow?_

_When I should be leading?_

_Why do I listen?_

_When I should be speaking?_

_For when we were together_

_I felt that I could fly._

_For when we were close_

_I knew my heart had stopped._

_But if love is for me_

_Why have I lost it?_

_But if love is everything_

_Why do I feel so much hurt?_

_For you've broken my heart_

_With this broken love._

_NO more pretending._

_Cause you've crushed my soul_

_With all of your theories_

_Of bro-o-o-ken lo-o-o-ove._

The notes drifted across the still air until they reached my ears. I was confused for a second until I placed the voice as Zoë's singing a mournful song about broken love. I knocked gently on her door and the music instantly ceased before the girl opened the door just a little.

"Can I come in?" I asked.

"Just a sec." She shut the door and I could hear her scurrying around inside. A few moments later she re-opened the door. I stepped inside and sat down on the bed.

"We have to talk."

"Uh…OK. Go ahead, shoot."

:Well, you have to come with me to school tomorrow." I held up my hand to keep her form protesting. "I know that it's going to be difficult, but what will my dad think if you stay here?'

A small smile played on the corner of her lips. "I don't mind going to school. It'll be a relief after what I've experienced. But what I want to know is why you lied about me."

"Zoë—"

"Don't try to make up excuses. I want the honest truth."

"It's just…my father wouldn't have let you stay here with me…with Keii, otherwise."

She sat down nest to me and stared at the door. "I thank you for your kind thought, but I'm trying to live a truthful life and you're only making it more difficult."

"I was only trying to help!" I protested.

The ghost girl jumped to her feet, furious. "You're not helping me, Satsuki! You're hurting me! Lying about me! You don't know anything about me, so just shut up! I don't want to hear your stupid excuses!" She was steaming mad now. "If you can't tell the truth, I think I'll be better off living wherever I can! Get out of my room!"

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Don't' forger who got you this room! I did! Without me you'd be freezing your butt off outside in the cold!"

"GET OUT"


	6. Rene

**Author: **So…here's my sixth chapter. This is where it might get just a tad bit confusing, but…I know what's going to happen. Heh. Heh. I tell that to my sister all the time and she gets all upset and anxious to know what it is, but…I never tell her…usually.

**Chapter Six**

"_Love is joy and love is pain._

_It's kissing in the rain._

_It's doing dishes when it's late._

_Isn't it, baby._

_It's the art of compromise._

_It's hellos and long good-byes._

_It's the picture of our lives._

_Isn't it crazy."_

She was singing along with a CD. At freaking three a.m. in the morning! I pounded on her door and the noise died down, but as I stepped inside Zoë was gone.

THE NEXT MORNING

Zoë stepped into the bathroom and shut the door. She fastened it shut with a deadbolt then turned to look in the mirror. Her eyes were wild with fright and she took deep breaths through her mouth. Her whole body trembled and her legs buckled sending her to the floor. Tears pooled down her cheeks and into her mouth.

Climbing shakily to her feet her gaze rested on the bathtub and a vision flashed through her mind.

_The girl's prone body lay in the blood filled bathtub. Her eyes are blank and glassy. Her clothes float around her dead body._

Zoë gasped and turned back towards the mirror, taking steady, but uneven breaths. Another flashback.

_The girl looks in the mirror, a man is standing behind her, a knife visible in his blood stained hand._

Zoë whirled around. Nobody. She let her head drop into her hands and sob escaped her lips. There was a quiet knock on the door and the ghost girl's head shot up. She quickly wiped her tears away and stilled her breathing before opening the door to reveal Keiichirou, my father, and me. My brother's eyes were puffy with tears as he ran over to Zoë. Throwing his arms around her waist he let out a pitiful moan.

"Zoë!" He sobbed. "I don't want you to go!"

She glanced around at Reiichirou and me before turning back to the weeping boy in front of her. She gripped his shoulders firmly and forced him to look into her eyes.

"Keii," she said slowly. "Everythin' will be fine."

He shook his head miserably. "No! Daddy says that you have to leave!"

She looked up at Reiichirou, causing him to hang his head in shame. "I only want what's best for my family."

"I understand." Zoë said nodding.

Keiichirou stared at her. "Don't' you want to stay here?"

"Of course, Keii! But itsa better if I go. I don't want any of ya to get hurt. You're the closest thing I got to a family and I don't wanna lose any of you."

"Then why are you going?"

She let out a sound, half so b and half sight. "Keii, it's too dangerous if I stay here. For you."

"But…but…"

The girl placed her fingers on his lips. "Shh." she cooed. "I'll see ya again someday." At that she stood up and turned to me, her eyes were glazed with unshed tears and glittered like rain.

"Satsuki." she whispered. "I know I was harsh to ya an' stuff, but…" she faltered. "But…oh! you remind me of my sister so much! And I love ya!" She threw her arms around my neck and wept into my shoulder. She pulled back instantly, her eyes directed to the floor. "I won't be goin' to school anymore." she finally muttered.

"Huh? Why not?" I asked.

She looked into my face, her eyes boring into mine. "Satsuki, itsa way too dangerous. You of all people should know that."

I nodded and she turned to leave. Keiichirou grabbed her hand, his cheeks wet with tears. "Zoë, please don't go!"

The girl looked down at him, then slowly knelt beside the quaking boy. "Keii, I have to leave, but…" she reached to the back her neck and unhooked her silver cross necklace. "I give this to ya. It will protect ya from evil."

He nodded and Zoë placed it around his neck before standing up to turn to the exit. As she walked out the door, my brother and I rushed to the window to watch her make her departure. But right when her foot touched the pavement the boy in black, Rene, was in front of her. Zoë gasped and took a step backwards. The boy grinned at hr then spoke in a low, raspy voice. "So, this is where you've been hiding. Well, I'll take care of that."

The ghost girl stumbled and fell backwards onto the road. Rene stretched his hand out to her, offering her a way back to her feet. She glanced from his hand to his face and back to his hand again. She reached a trembling hand up, gripped is tightly, then pulled with all her might. Rene fell to the ground, giving Zoë just enough time to jump to her feet and make a run for it.

Rene climbed slowly to his feet like a body rising from the dead, then he made a slow turn like a body rising form the dead then he made a slow turn until he was facing the retreating form of Zoë. He stretched his hand forward and the ghost girl suddenly came to a halt as a black force field loomed up in front of her. She gave an involuntary gasp then turned to run in another direction. Another wall blocked her path and another until she was in a box of see-through walls. She turned back around to face the boy.

Rene lowered his hand then turned towards my house, causing my whole body to shudder. I turned around to face Keiichirou, but to my horror he was gone. Vanished from sight. When I looked back out the window, Rene was nowhere in sight and a wave of relief washed through my body until the door was kicked open and the strange boy stepped into the house.

My mind raced in panic and my heart leapt up into my throat. I glanced hurriedly around for my little brother, but they boy wasn't anywhere. I spotted my father standing in the corner his eyes wild with fright.

Rene turned to me and said in a deep voice that seemed to echo around in the small room. "Where is the boy?"

My eyes shifted unconsciously up towards the ceiling. The boy's eyes followed my gaze and his lips twisted up into a cruel smile. I gasped as he shoved past me towards the stairs. What had I done? I led him right to my poor, helpless little brother? What had I done?

But my fears finally diminished when Rene came stomping back down the stairs his hands clenched tightly into fists by his sides and a gloomy scowl covering his face. His eyes flashed with cold fury as he came to stand in front of me.

His voice came out like a growl. "He's not there, so where is he?"

I stared blankly at my captor for a second and I was flushed with relief that he had not found Keiichirou, but my joy was dashed away when the boy stretched out his hand and grabbed my neck. He slammed me against the wall with the force of an eighteen wheeler making my body go limp. The only thing I was conscious of was the fact that I couldn't breathe. There wasn't any air! My body was now full of energy as I thrashed about in Rene's grasp. he finally released me and my body crashed to the floor in a heap of skin, bones, and blood.

He faced the window his eyes burning with hate as his gaze rested on the trapped Zoë who had sunk to her knees in distress. She finally glanced up to meet his stare and I could see her whole body shudder as if a cold wind had just swept over her.

Rene suddenly swept past me and flew out of the house heading in the ghost girl's direction. When he got there the blackened force-fields vanished and Zoë stumbled forward, crashing to the ground with a startling thump. The boy plucked her up off the ground with ease. His fingers were tight around the girl's neck as he pulled her up until her feet dangled in the air.

"Where is he?" Rene snarled.

Zoë didn't answer and the boy threw her against a large oak tree.

"Where is the boy?"

Zoë's gaze fell onto the ground. Rene's hands clenched by his side and he spun back towards my house. He stormed inside and grabbed a fistful of my auburn hair, pulling me out of the front door. He threw me down in front of Zoë. the ghost girl set her hand gently on my back then met Rene's fiery gaze. Something I had never seen before flashed through her eyes as she climbed slowly to her feet. Hate. Though it was mixed with grief and love.

The boy met her stare steadily then pointed his finger at me, saying. "I'll kill your friend if you don't tell me where the boy is."

She glanced from him to me to him and back to me. Rene yanked me back to my feet and as quick as a flash of lightening he whipped out a gun and aimed it at my head. My eyes widened with fright and I could already see my body falling to the ground, blood streaming out of the bullet hole, but he didn't pull the trigger; just stood there shaking with anger.

"Where. Is. The. Boy?" He finally asked.

Zoë sucked at the air and Rene tightened his finger against the trigger.

"Wait!" The ghost girl cried.

The boy looked at her, waiting for an answer, but yet again she didn't say a word. The gun was hard against my head and I could practically hear the gears turning around in the strange boy's head.

"No!" Zoë shouted. "I'll tell ya!"

"Don't tell!" I heard myself yelling. "Don't tell!"

Zoë hesitated glancing at me and Rene.. He pushed his gun even closer, causing me to let out a pathetic little whimper.

"Wait, Rene!" She said again. "I…I…I'll tell ya!"

"No, Zoë! No! Don't tell him anything!"

Once again Zoë paused and I was sent sprawling to the ground a nasty gash on my head ---Where Rene had hit me with the but of his gun---spilling blood onto the cold pavement. I could feel the tears spilling down onto my cheeks along with the red liquid.

"Rene, don't!" I could here Zoë shouting, but I felt so very far away. Like my body was there but not my mind. "Rene, please! I'll tell ya!"

Then there was only silence.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

Author: So…did it confuse anyone? It would have confused me, but hey most things do. Review and tell me what you all think about it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author: I finally finished chapter seven! Well, I finished typing it, but you get the picture. This part is a little weird so be prepared. It's when they actually find Keii and all, so…heh. heh. heh. And sorry it took me forever to get this typed out. Really I am. This would have been up sooner, but something was wrong with the fanfiction site so it wouldn't let me put it up. Sorry.**

**Chapter seven**

Light filtered into my vision as my eyes flickered open. I felt so disoriented; I couldn't tell up from down and my body seemed to floating in the air. I twisted my head around, looking for something familiar. My gaze finally rested on Zoë who trudged along in front of me, her shoulders slumped and her hands in her pockets reminding me of a guy.

I could finally feel the strong arms carrying me. I turned around to see who it was, gut suddenly I was falling. the ground loomed up closer and it jarred my body when I connected with it. All the air in my lungs swept out through my mouth with a loud whoosh. A sharp pain ripped through my side as someone kicked me with the toe of a boot. Then I was going back up into the air, being pulled up by my arm.

Zoë was suddenly by my side and she pulled me into a protective embrace as she began to speak in a voice thick from crying. "Enough, Rene."

Then we were walking again, down the street. My heart beat wildly inside my chest and my head was thumping inconsistently. The ghost girl held a supportive arm around my waist so I wouldn't collapse to the ground, but it was of no use. My head spun and my knees buckled sending me sprawling to the ground. Lights flashed inside my head as it slammed into a rock. I tried to concentrate but my mind continued to slip away. I could vaguely hear voices above me.

"We'll never get there at this pace!" Rene.

"Fine, the we can leave her." Zoë.

A sharp laugh. "Good try, Zo, but I'm not leaving my bait behind."

Silence.

There was a low inconsistent thumping. I wracked my brain trying to find out what it was and finally realized that it was my heart. My eyes drifted open, but I couldn't see anything. I had been swallowed up in the stifling darkness.

"Zoë?" The word came out more like a croak that anything else. "Zoë?"

Only silence.

I sat up and let my eyes rest on the two glowing red lights. I tipped my head to the side and stared at the tow small dots.

What?

Then they were gone, but only for an instant.

I finally realized what they were. They were eyes. Eyes slowly blinking in the dark.

My eyes flew open, the bright sunlight making me squint. I glanced down at the ground that seemed to be moving. Or was that me moving?

Once again I realized someone was holding me, but his time I didn't move for fear I would be dropped again. I shut my eyes tightly and tried to drown out the overwhelming sense of loneliness. I listened closely as Rene muttered under his breath.

"She thinks that she can outsmart me? Never! I'll show her. I'll tame her. She well be broken even if I have to kill her."

My first thought was that he was speaking of me, but I soon realized that he spoke about Zoë. I peeled my eyes open then gasped as I noticed Rene was gazing directly into my face.

He grinned at me---the first time I had ever really seen him happy---but his smiling countenance was quickly dashed away when Zoë glanced back at us. I was dumped out of his arms and onto my feet. My heart was filled with grief, but my mind could not comprehend the reason for my sorrow.

Then a familiar sight filled my vision. The old school house. I stopped dead in my tracks and stared at the rickety old building. I just stood there until Rene prodded me in the back with his gun, making me let out the breath I hadn't even known I had been holding. We stepped inside and I could feel my bones tingling with the fear that washed over my body.

We walked down the hall in silence, but suddenly the small area was echoing with the shriek of a demon-eyed ghost who jumped at us, a knife visible in her cold, pale hand. I fell to the ground a scream ripping out of my throat. Zoë fell down onto the ground next to me her eyes filled with fear, but Rene stayed standing. The ghost froze and stood in front of the boy. She lifted a hand that kept disappearing then reappearing like a broken projector at him and said in a cold emotionless voice. "All mortals shall die."

Rene smirked. "Well, I feel sorry for those two." He jerked his thumb at me and Zoë. Confusion flashed through the ghost's eyes for a second before she once again obtained her composure. "You're no ghost."

"No." he said. "But I am immortal."

The ghost looked at him intently then pointed her gleaming blade at me and the girl beside me. "And them?"

"They're with me."

"But I can not allow them to pass." Her body glitched.

Rene let his fist fly through the air and it landed in the ghost's face, her gleaming red eyes flashed as she went flying through the air before gliding gently to the floor. She let out an ear-piercing screech and attacked with her knife, swinging it back and forth. The boy just stood there obviously very unafraid.

One second his hand was empty then the next…he held a glowing black blade. Once again the ghost hesitated giving Rene just enough time to pin her to the wall.

"Now." He hissed into her ear. "I suggest you leave."  
He waited for the ghost to nod then dropped her onto the ground, sending her scurrying away into the darkness.

My heart was beating wildly, but I soon discovered that it was not with the fear that pumped through my body, but with something else. Hope? Hope that I might have found someone who could defeat a ghost without sustaining any damage himself? No. It was different. Relief? Relief that I had just encountered a ghost, but didn't have to run away? No. I was thankful for that, but that was not the reason for my sudden ecstaticy when I remembered what Rene had done. No. There was something else. Something…wonderful.

The hall was dark and actually seemed to breathe with such an intensity that it made my heart speed up. We entered a small classroom with desks that had bee flipped over to either lay on their sides or upside down.

Zoë stopped in the middle of the room, her eyes scanning it warily. Rene stood behind her, breathing down onto her head. "Where is he?" He asked glancing around the dim room.

The ghost girl placed her hand against her heart and closed her eyes as if the beating organ was speaking to her. Her eyelids finally lifted and I could see the bewilderment flooding around. Rene turned her around, for a moment sorrow flashed through his black eyes. "Zoë." he whispered. "What is it?"

She glanced away. "I can't feel 'im."

The boy slammed his fists against the wall producing a large and jagged hole. I could feel the annoyance seeping out of his body, then he turned to me. "Call him."

I wanted to say no. I wanted to tell him to get lost, but the only word that passed my lips was the name of my brother. "Keiichirou!"

There was no answer. Only the sound of the wind whipping against the building.

"Keiichirou!"

A faint tapping sound reached my ears and I spun around to find my younger brother standing there. His short black hair gleamed in the small amount of sunlight that filtered inside and his eyes were blank. His hands hung loosely by his sides and his skin was so pale that it practically looked white.

"Keiichirou?" I said in a voice that was barely even a whisper. He looked at me with his glassy eyes for a second then turned to stare at Rene who stood there looking entirely confused. Keii finally turned to Zoë who seem to be smiling ever so slightly, then the little boy spoke in a voice that carried no emotion what so ever. "Evil will not prevail."

I blinked. What had he just said? I grabbed his arm and spoke in a fearful tone. "Keiichirou, what's wrong with you?"

He looked at me, his eyes thick with confusion. "Satsuki?"

I nodded. "Yes, it's me. Your sister."

"Sister?"

My heart plummeted within my chest and I could feel tears threatening to spill out onto my cheeks. I turned to Zoë who bore a look of horror on her face.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked.

She shook her head slowly. " 'e can't comprehend evil. Well, at least not entirely."

"What? He doesn't know I'm his sister!"

"Yes. Look into your heart. 'e can see somethin' there that ya might not be able to or either that ya just don't wanna."

"What? I don't understand."

She looked at me steadily. " 'e doesn't remember your love cause you've given it away to someone else."

"What!"

"Look, Satsuki, look into your heart."

I shook my head wearily, but I tried to find the reason that I couldn't love him anymore. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. It was all because of Rene. I turned to face Keiichirou who swayed back and forth like a wounded child then rushed over to him. Wrapping him in my arms. I began to weep unmercilessly.

"Oh, my dear brother! Don't do this! I love you! Please!"

He didn't move, only gave a small shudder before pulling out of my grasp. I finally climbed to my feet and turned to look at Rene hate flashing through my tear spilling eyes.

"This is all your fault!" I screamed.

He seemed completely hurt and I soon regretted the hastily blurted out words. I didn't mean to be so harsh, but that must have been the reason that Keiichirou had forgotten who I was. That's why he hates me. Because I hate Rene. But of course that didn't make any sense. Because how could I hate someone that makes my heart flutter every time I looked in his direction.

I turned back to my brother. "I don't hate him anymore. " I pleaded. "Please love me again, Keiichirou! Please!"

But the boy only took a step closer to Zoë. Then I was suddenly so furious with the ghost girl. She had turned my own brother against me. I walked up to her then hit her like my life depended on it, and in a way it did cause if I couldn't have my brother's love then I would most surely die.

Zoë's body hit the ground, her head hitting a jagged edge of a broken desk. Her eyes flashed in surprise right before the light flickered out and she went completely still.

Rene stepped up to my brother and yanked off the cross necklace that the ghost girl had given him. Keiichirou's eyes widened and he let out a scream that rattled the furniture and shattered the few remaining windows. I stared at him stupidly, as did Rene. Then the younger boy silenced himself and glanced around the room.

His bottom lip trembled. "Where am I?"

I glanced at Rene who now wore a wicked smile on his faced as he stared at the necklace that dangled from his hand. He looked up at me, victory flashing through his dark eyes. The cross slipped out of his grasp and clattered on the floor, where it landed in the layers of dust.

Keiichirou still looked very bewildered as he watched Rene with interest, then he dropped to his knees and snatched up the piece f jewelry. His eyes grew very wide when he saw Zoë's prone body laying on the floor, blood seeping out of a nasty cut on the back of her head. My brother glanced up at me, confusion written all over his pale features.

"Satsuki." He whispered. "What's going on?"

I knelt down beside him and slowly pried the necklace out of his frozen fingers. He grasped for it desperately, but I simply held it out of his reach. I could see a tear slip down his cheek as he gave up his futile attempt to gain the cross and pressed his small body closer to Zoë's.

Anger flashed through my body and mind. How could he still love the ghost girl more than me? His own sister?

He looked at me with pain filled eyes and repeated his earlier question. "What's going on? What happened to Zoë? And why is the bad guy here?"

He really couldn't remember, I realized. He hadn't been in his right mind. I was just about to step over to my brother and wrap him up into my arms, but before I could even move, Rene stepped forward and grabbed viscously at the younger boy's arm.

I gave an involuntary gasp and lunged for my brother's other arm, but he was just simply pulled out of the way and I collapsed onto the floor in a heap, all my air leaving my body. It took me a moment to catch my breath and when I had climbed back to my feet Rene and Keiichirou were gone leaving me alone with the unconscious Zoë.

**Author: So? was it good or did I make everyone completely and utterly confused. I'm not sure if I describe the stuff enough or not, but…I'm not perfect. please review!!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

I walked down the street dragging my feet on the pavement. I felt so utterly useless and pathetic. I had let Rene get away with my only brother. Hajime's house finally came into view and I ran up to his front door. I slammed my fist against it with all my strength and screamed at the top of my lungs. "Hajime! Hajime! Hajime!"

When the door opened up I stumbled inside and into Hajime. I buried my face in his chest and wept like a little child. His startled expression turned into one of sympathy as he peeled me away from his body so he could look into my eyes that were overflowing with tears.

"Satsuki." he said slowly as if he was speaking to a child. "What's going on? What's wrong?"

I took a deep breath then said in a broken voice. "My…my father…he said…that Zoë had to leave…"

"And you're crying because of this---OOOOOW! What's wrong with you?" he yelled gripping his arm where I had just punched him.

"You're so stupid!" I screeched. "I'm not a baby!"

"Then why are you crying so much?!"

I scowled at him. "Let me finish my story and it might make a little more sense, Hajime!"

"Fine." He grabbed my arm and guided me into the living room. "But you should sit down. You look like you're on the verge of collapsing."

I sat down on the couch next to him and continued my story in a slightly calmer voice. "When she left Keiichirou and I saw that creepy Rene guy and he did this black force field thingie and then he came into my house and asked where Keii was---

"I thought that he was with you?" Hajime cut in.

"He was, but then he left."

"Where did he go---OW! Why do you keep hitting me?!"

"Let me tell my story!"

He grumbled slightly then leaned against the arm of the couch for a little comfort.

"Well," I continued. "when Rene realized that I had no idea where my brother was he went back outside to Zoë and threw her against the big oak tree across the street. The…then…he came back inside and brought me with him and told Zoë that he…that he would…kill me if…she…she didn't tell him where Keii was."

"Huh?"

I brought my hand back to hit him again but he dove off the couch and rolled across the floor. "Jeesh!" He cried. "Enough with the hitting! I'm already gonna get a nasty bruise on my arm. I don't need a broken bone to accompany that!"

"Then pay attention!" I snapped.

"I am! I just can't grasp the meaning of what you're trying to tell me, Satsuki! That's all!"

"He said—"

"Who? OW!" This time he held his side where I had just kicked him.

"Rene!" I practically screamed. Okay. I _did_ scream! "Rene said that he would kill me if Zoë didn't tell him where Keiichirou was!"

"Oh. Okay. Continue."

"But…well, you know that I care for my brother above everyone else even myself."

"Even me?" Hajime asked throwing me a quizzical grin and earning himself another kick in the ribs.

"Well!" I continued, raising my voice to be heard above the boy's mutterings. "I told Zoë not to tell Rene where Keiichirou was hidden…"

"What?!" Hajime leapt to his feet. "Are you insane, Satsuki?! What would I have done if you died?! I would have been lost! My heart would have been crushed and my soul smashed! You're my life, Satsuki! Without you I'm nothing! Without you the world is nothing!"

I rolled my eyes at him. "Enough with the drama! And think that if you keep this ridiculous act up that…things will be very different between us."

He sat up straighter and shut his mouth tight after letting just a few more words slip out of his mouth. "You're no fun, Satsuki."

"But…Zoë didn't want Rene to kill me because she says that I remind her of her sister—"

"Who's her sister?"

"Hajime!"

"Sorry! I was just wondering! Can't I ask questions?"

"Not until the end of my story. So…she didn't want me to die and said that she would tell Rene where my brother was, but I told her not to, and the creep hit me over the head and then blacked out." I stopped at this and gazed steadily at the floor, then looking up at Hajime, furious that he wasn't trying to comfort me. "Hajime! I am upset here! Console me!"

He rushed over to my side and threw his arms around my neck. My fist landed in his gut and he recoiled backwards. "What's wrong with you?!" he cried.

"What's wrong with _me_?! What's wrong with _you_?! Why are you acting so strange?!"

He opened his mouth up and moved his lips as if speaking, but no sound came out. groaned and let my head roll backwards. "You can speak now."

He bit his lower lip. "Satsuki," he began. "I…I…hope you're not hurt."

"What?! That's all you have to say?! Console me! Help me! Encourage me for goodness sake!"

He turned his head away from me. "Satsuki, I've always been good at hiding my feelings with laughter, but…" he turned to me. "…this is different. This it about you and I don't want to see you in any pain whether it be physical or emotional."

"Then why don't you help me?"

"I don't know how! I've never—"

"Rene would!"

My hadn't flew up over my mouth and I let out a muffled gasp at my hastily blurted out words. Hajime stared at me for a second then slowly climbed to his feet. Exactly like Rene had done earlier that day, I realized.

_No!_ I screamed at myself. _You hate Rene! Stuff these silly notions of love back where they belong!_

Hajime was facing the window and I could hear his heavy breathing and smell the odor of his body. I kept seeing myself climbing to my feet and kissing him right then and there but…for some reason instead of it being Hajime standing at the window in front of me…it was Rene.

I shook my head desperately before rushing over to Hajime's side. I gripped his arm tightly and leaned my head on his shoulder. He pulled away his head shaking back and forth.

"Satsuki," he said, "if your heart is for someone else, we can't be together. I'm sorry."

_He can't remember your love because you've given it to someone else. _Zoë's voice flashed through my head.

_But I don't love him!_

_**He held me.**_

_I don't love him!_

_**He smiled at me.**_

_I don't love him!_

_**He cares for me.**_

_I don't love him!_

_**But he loves me.**_

"Hajime."

"No." he turned away from me.

"I don't love him!" I cried out desperately. "I really don't! Hajime, please! Don't you believe me?"

"I wish I could, Satsuki, but…I'm not sure that I can."

"But, Rene—"

Hajime held up his hand. "No! I don't want o hear about _Rene_." he spat the name out like it was some type of poisonous venom. "And I don't want you making up excuses for falling in love with him."

"But I don't love him." My voice was one of defeat.

Hajime stared out the window as I sucked in the air though it didn't work too well considering that I was crying way too hard keeping me from breathing. I held my hand out giving the boy in front of me one more chance to accept me, but he didn't even turn around.

My hand recoiled backwards like a wounded snake and I closed my eyes against the flood of tears that threatened to spill out.

"You have to help me." I said in a weary voice.

He finally turned around to face me, his mouth set into a firm line. "You've been getting along fine without me. Why don't you go ask your new boyfriend if he can help?"

"You don't understand!"

"Yeah! I've realized that! You did it all behind my back!"

"But Rene—"

"Enough, Satsuki! I want you to leave. Now."

Now the tears did spill out of my eyes, running down my flushed cheeks. "Hajime—"

"NOW!"

I walked towards the door, defeated, but tried to talk sense into him one more time. "Hajime, Keii is in trouble!"

Silence followed my statement so I turned around only to find that Hajime had disappeared from the room. I left the house, my heart heavy within my chest.

Everything seemed to be mocking me. Laughing at my painful broken heart. I trudged down the street in despair until I reached Momoko's house. I knocked on her door until my knuckles hurt. Then I leaned against the side of the house and wept bitter tears. The door finally opened up, revealing a girl with long purple hair and a tear stained face.

"Satsuki." Her voice was cold. "What are you doing here?"

"I need your help. Please."

"Why doesn't Hajime help you. I mean he is your boyfriend now since you stole him from me."

I shook my head. "Hajime hates me."

"Why?" Her face had softened a little. "What happened?"

I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes again. "He thinks that I was cheating on him."

"That's stupid! Who could be better than Hajime?"

"He thinks that I love Rene!"

She blinked. "Rene? Who's that?"

"Oh yeah. You weren't aware of any of it. The reason Hajime isn't going out with you anymore is because your mom made him break up with you because she thought he had hurt you, but it was really Rene who had somehow possessed your body."

"What?"

"The creep Rene was controlling you and Zoë—"

"Who?"

"Zoë…the ghost girl…oh yeah…you weren't aware of that either. She's this ghost…well, not really a ghost…but…well she knew that Rene had control of your body and told him to leave."

"Satsuki, no one had control of my body. I would have known."

My hands clenched into fists, but I pushed my anger down. "Well, it doesn't matter if you believe me, but Keii is in danger."

"Danger? How?"

"Rene had him, and I think that he's going to hurt him." I threw my head backwards and let out a mournful wail, which echoed around the street. Momoko pulled me inside and slapped her hand over my mouth.

"Satsuki," she hissed. "stop this, now."

I silence myself, but could not control my heavy breathing.

"Look." Momoko said guiding me to the couch. "I'll call Hajime and talk to him. Okay?"

I nodded my head then stretched out on the couch totally and utterly exhausted. Momoko stepped into the kitchen and I could see hr pressing the buttons on her cordless phone.

"Oh, hi! This is Momoko. Can I speak with Hajime, please…oh. well, can you tell him that I called…yeah and I need to speak with him right away…yeah that would be good…bye to you too." She hung the phone up and came to sit by me. "Hajime wasn't home, but his father is going to send him over here when he shows up there."

I nodded my head, but I didn't really believe that he would come.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Momoko asked.

"Get me something…strong."

She paused. "Strong?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Coffee. Black coffee."

Oh. Okay." She went back into the kitchen. I let my eyes drift shut and I could feel myself slipping into the unknown. Into the part of my mind that I only see at night wile dreaming.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author: Okay chapter nine is finally here. I know I'm not that great at updating on time or anything, but I really do try. Oh and please try to forgive me for my completely lame love scenes. I'm really bad at doing that. Hopefully I'll get chapter ten up soon.**

**Chapter Nine**

Cold cruel laughter echoed everywhere, making me tremble in fright.

"Rene!" I called out, but the word was swallowed up in the darkness. Then he was there, standing before me, his black hair blending in with the sheer darkness. Some invisible light reflected off his eyes. He stretched his hand out to me, but I backed away from it as if it burned with a terrible fire.

"I love you." He said, a smile playing along his lips.

My heart fluttered at those words. "Rene, I…I…"

"I love you, Satsuki."

I froze. Something was wrong. Completely wrong. I could feel my spirit plummeting down to the pit of my stomach, then said in a low trembling voice. "You don't know my name."

His eyes flashed with anger then he threw back his head and roared with hateful laughter. He instantly stopped, staring deep into my eyes. "You're a fool, Satsuki."

"You're not real." I told him. "You're just a dream."

"That's where you are mistaken, Human. I am here with you. I live inside you."

"No! You're just in my mind! Go away!" Then to myself. "Come on, girl, wake up!"

Rene laughed again. "Sill, Mortal. I am real. I am your shadow."

I snorted. "I highly doubt my shadow looks like Rene."

His lips twisted into a crooked smile. "I can change that." And at that his body began to glitch like the ghost at the old school house. His hands stretched out and grew two inch long claws. His arms shifted, turning jet black. The bottom half of his body bent, so it looked like he was in a low crouch. The blackness rippled up over his body. His face began to change, revealing a snout with long jagged teeth. Last a pair of leathery black wings sprouted out of his shoulder blades. And then it was over, leaving Rene as a black demon.

I stared in horror then began to shake with fear.

_I am your shadow_. His voice was a snarl in my head.

I couldn't see him anymore; he had faded into the darkness. Then I could see two glowing red lights. And I realized that they were eyes slowly blinking.

I woke up to someone roughly shaking my shoulders. I squinted at the blinding sunlight.

"Where am I ?" I croaked.

"Momo's house."

The voice sounded so familiar, but I couldn't seem to place it. All I could concentrated on was the snarling voice I had heard in my head. _I am your shadow._

"Rene—" I began, but a hand slammed into my face.

My eyes widened in surprise and pain, and I finally realized that it was Hajime who knelt beside me. His face held faint traces of tears, but I couldn't be sure if they were for me or not.

"It was terrible." I said shuddering. "He was—"

Hajime slapped me again.

"What's wrong with you?!" I cried.

"I don't want to hear about Rene!" he replied.

"It wasn't Rene! It couldn't have been! It's not possible!"

The boy raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Promise me that you won't hit me again."

He rolled his eyes. "Okay. I promise."

I shut my eyes and recalled back the horrifying images. "I was standing in complete darkness and someone was laughing. It was terrifying. And…" I can't mention that I had called to Rene. "I called out to someone—"

"Who?"

"…I don't remember. And then…Rene was there—"

"Is it possible that you might have been calling for him?"

I shook my head. "I don't know! But…I was afraid of him. He held his hand out to me, but I did not reach for it. Then he told me that… he loved me…" I will not tell him my response. "then he said it again…using my name and I knew then that something was wrong…" I trailed off and lapsed into silence.

"That's all?" Hajime asked.

I shook my head. "No…it's just…the next part…is hard to talk about. It was so horrifying."

"Okay. Continue."

_Continue_.

"Then he laughed at me and mocked me, calling me names. He said that he lived inside me and that he was my shadow, but I refused to believe that so then…" I cut myself off too afraid to say the next part, but Hajime forced me to.

I took a deep breath. "Then he…began to _change_. It was so horrible! He turned black and got claws and teeth. And he had _wings_. It was awful! I was so terrified! He spoke telepathically. In my head, I mean."

Hajime's eyebrows were knitted together in concentration as he thought about what I had told him. He finally grabbed my hand and squeezed it. _With compassion_. I thought.

"Hajime." I whispered. "Will you help me?"

"With what, Satsuki?"

I pulled him down closer to me so I could whisper in his ear. "To save Keiichirou from Rene."

he pulled away from me, his eyes wide. "What? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I did , but you weren't there to hear me. You walked away remember?"

He hung his head in shame. "Sorry, Satsuki. I thought….I thought…."

"You thought that I was cheating on you?"

Hajime nodded. "Sorry."

I grabbed his hand and pressed my head against his chest. I wept bitterly and wrapped my arms around the boy. I pressed my lips against his cheek, my arms still tight around his neck.

"Hajime," I whispered into his ear. "I love you. I love you so much."

He pulled me against his body and planted a kiss right on my lips. His hand was on the back of my head, holding me tight against him. His face was on mine, his arms around me, and mine around him. I was happy as I lay there on the couch with Hajime leaning over me and kissing me full out. It was paradise, but the feeling didn't last long.

Hajime yanked me off the couch, sending me sprawling to the ground. I stared up at him in shock, but his once loving face had contorted into a horrifying image of hate and evil. A cold smile twisted his lips into a grimace.

"Satsuki," he said. "I know that you're a fool, but to fall for it twice in the span of one hour?" he laughed at that.

I was incredulous. What on earth was he talking about? Then the truth slammed into my body knocking the air out of my lungs. None of this was real!

After I figured it out the safe cozy house of Momoko's slowly began to fade, being replaced with the terrible blackness of my nightmare world. And there stood Hajime or rather Rene in the form of Hajime.

"Stop this!" I shouted. "I don't want to play games anymore!"

"We're not playing. This is why you haven't gotten anywhere in life. It's because you think the world is one big joke. That pain isn't real and only a _game_."

I shook my head. "I don _not_ think that!"

He ignored me. "But I'm sorry to say, mortal, but heartbreak is real and everyone experiences it. Even I do, but the only difference with that is…I enjoy it. I cause it."

I shook my head again and close my eyes. "No! No! No! Stop this! I don't want to be here! Wake up! Wake up! Come on!"

His icy cold fingers wrapped around my neck and when my eyes sprang open I wasn't looking into the wonderful eyes of Hajime, but into the pitch black eyes of a demon. I screamed.

**Author: So, please tell me how you liked it. And I also have to know if you want me to make this story super long because I have a ton more that I can add, but it gets really confusing. And everyone would probably hate me at the end because I would kill off all the characters. No joke either. Well, not all, but I was going to kill Satsuki, Zoe, Momoko, and Hajime. Heh. Heh. So should I do around 15 chapters or continue on and do like 30 chapters?**


	10. Chapter 10

**Author: Chapter ten is finally up! Yay! Okay. Warning. This may be extremely weird, but I can't help that because I'm extremely weird. Heh. Heh. Well, these are all really short parts where it keeps going back and forth. Like first it's with Hajime then Momoko then Satsuki then back to Hajime. Make sense? Hope it does. Well, read and review!**

**Chapter Ten**

At Hajime's house.

"Hajime!"

"What?"

"Momoko called! She wants to talk to you! I said that I'd send you over when you got home. So scram, kid!"

The boy rolled his eyes. _Oh great! What could _she_ want?_ His eyes widened. _Maybe she found out about me and Satsuki breaking up! No. No one else knows. Only me…and Satsuki, but would she really tell? No._

Hajime headed back out the door his mouth set into one firm line. The sun was beginning to set as he neared Momoko's house. He climbed up to the front door and rang the doorbell. When there was no answer, he knocked. Still nothing. Hajime tested the doorknob. It was unlocked. He pushed the door open.

Momoko was in the kitchen oblivious to the screams coming from the room next to her. Her gaze was focused on the blood filled sink. She reached her hand out and touched the liquid.

"Ahhhhh!" she cried as the blood burned her pointer finger.

The hand was still tight around my neck, and I was surprised that the screams even slipped out of my throat. But of course it was only a dream. Or at least that's what I kept telling myself.

Rene laughed at my helplessness.

"Please!" I cried out. "Stop! Wake up, Satsuki! Wake up! This dream has gone on far too long! Open your eyes!"

Rene only laughed harder.

He could hear someone screaming in the living room, but as he got closer the voice only seemed to get farther away. He stepped through the door and saw Satsuki lying on the couch her mouth opened wide in a scream, blood dripping out of the corner of her lips. Hajime rushed to her side.

She was strangely drawn to it. The scarlet red liquid seemed to call out her name. Momoko stretched her hand out and dipped it into the sink, but this time it did not burn her skin. She closed her eyes a smile playing along her lips.

"Yes." She purred then let her eyes slide open.

She scooped up a handful of the blood and brought it to her lips.

I could hear a soft gentle voice all around me, but I dared not believe that it was real. I was having trouble breathing and red lights flashed in front of my eyes.

I looked straight into Rene's eyes, but instead of seeing the mocking laughter that I had anticipated, I saw fear. Fear? But what could he be afraid of?

His hand released me, sending me plummeting through the blackness.

Hajime wiped the blood off the girl's face. He lifted his hand up and brought it straight down on Satsuki's stomach. Her eyes flew open and she let out a startled gasp.

The blood stained her lips and her teeth, but she didn't care. It gave her power. It gave her energy. It gave her life! She could hear a voice in her head, telling her to drink more, but it wasn't hers.

"Ahh!" I cried out in surprise. "Hajime! Wha—"

He placed his fingers on my lips. "That's for hitting me. Twice, I might add. Now, tell me what's going on here."

I opened my mouth to speak, but stopped when I heard a thump coming from the kitchen. I jumped to my feet ignoring the dizzy wave that washed over me.

"Momoko!" I screamed when I found her body lying in a heap on the tiled floor. Hajime rushed to her side and pressed his hand against her wrist, checking for a pulse.

"Satsuki!" He yelled startling me. "Where are her parents?"

"They're not here. They went out before I even arrived."

He jumped to his feet and grabbed the phone off the counter. He dialed 911 and talked briefly with the person on the other end. He set the phone down and rushed back over to Momoko's still body. He pulled her up into his arms before climbing back to his feet.

"Satsuki." he said. "You wait here until Momoko's parents get back and tell them that she fainted and I took her to the hospital."

"NO!" I screamed and grabbed his arm. "She didn't faint!"

"Then what happened?"

"It had something to do with Rene!"

He groaned and let his head roll backwards. "Not him again."

I must have looked very confused because he said. "What?"

"I thought—" Then I stopped and my eyes flooded with tears when I remembered it had only been Rene posing as Hajime who I had told about my dream, but I persisted.

"No, really! There—"

"Please, Satsuki, I do _not_ want to hear about this."

I turned away, furious that he wouldn't believe me, but then again why was I so surprised. He hated Rene, but what he didn't know was that I did too. Or at least the demon Rene in my nightmares.

"Hajime." I tried again. "Can you _please_ just listen to me?"

"I have to get Momoko to the hospital."

"There's a reason that I couldn't wake myself up!"

He looked at me quizzically. "You were just dreaming, Satsuki. Nothing more. Nothing less."

"You were in it!"

That caught his attention. "Okay, fine. We'll talk about it later."

Well, at least it was better than nothing. "Fine."

We could hear sirens approaching as we walked out of the house and as the ambulance pulled up next to us Hajime said. "What about her parents? They need to know what happened to their daughter."

"We'll give them a call later." And at that Momoko was placed into the back of the vehicle and we climbed in after her. A lady placed an oxygen mask on Momoko's pale blood stained face then began asking us questions.

"Are you two related to the victim?" She asked.

Hajime blinked. "Victim? You think someone did this to her?"

"Of course!" I cried. "I've been trying to tell you that, Hajime! She didn't just faint!"

The nurse turned to me. "You know what happened?"

"Well…not…exactly."

She raised an eyebrow at me.

"Well, let's get back to the first question!" Hajime chirped up when he saw how uncomfortable I was. The lady nodded then asked the first question again.

Hajime shook his head. "No. We're not related, but Satsuki's her best friend and I'm…her, uh…ex-boyfriend."

"Is it possible that you might have done something?"

"What are you? A cop?"

"I quit a month ago. Couldn't stand the pressure, or the responsibility. But this isn't about me. So…were you mad at her?"

The boy just stared at her, his mouth agape, so I joined in. "It was Rene."

Both people turned to look at me, Hajime's eyes narrowed into thin slits, and the nurse's eyes shining with curiosity. "Who?" she asked.

"Rene. He's a demon." I whispered in an eerie voice.

Her eyes dimmed and she snorted. "I thought you actually knew who had done this, but I guess that you're just a girl playing games."

"We're not playing." I was surprised that I was now quoting Rene. When had I sunk so low? I turned to Hajime my eyes filled with an unquenchable flame. "You'll let me tell you now, right?"

"Uh…Satsuki—"

"I'm not a child! Quit treating me like one! You think that I was only having a nightmare, gut I know better! You remember when you were still dating Momoko? And how you sent me away crying, but then we found out that it wasn't Momoko at all, but _Rene_!"

"Satsuki—"

"He was in her! He possessed her! Remember!"

"Yeah, but—"

"He can change forms, too. He did it three times in—" I cut myself off as something Rene had said came back to me. I know that you're a fool, but to fall for it twice in the span of an hour? My eyes widened in shock at what I had just realized. "No!" I cried out. "It wasn't Rene! It was…I don't know."

Hajime groaned, but the nurse looked interested again. "So what makes you think this?" She asked me.

"Well…" I began, but was cut off as Momoko let out a gasp of pain. Hajime went to her side instantly. He grabbed her hand, tears slipping down his cheeks. "Hey." he said softly. "How are you feeling?"

She glanced at him. "My chest hurts." Her words were muffled by the oxygen mask.

"Huh?"

She reached her hand up and yanked the mask off and took lungfuls of air before answering. "It feels like something's inside my chest trying to get out. It hurts."

I was about to go over and comfort her but froze as my gaze landed on my best friend's face, or more specifically her eyes. Her pitch black eyes.

At the old school house…

Zoë's head was thumping, blood pouring out of the gash on her head. She climbed dizzily to her feet. The whole room seemed to be spinning like a merry-go-round only a whole lot faster.

"Satsuki!" She yelled into the darkness.

No answer.

"Keiichirou!"

Still no answer.

"R-Rene?"

Nothing.

The girl left the classroom and hurried out of the building.

Momoko was whispering to Hajime, but I could not hear the words. I saw Hajime's eyes widen and he shot a quick glance in my direction before turning back to his ex-girlfriend. The ambulance finally pulled up in front of the hospital, and Momoko — who was lying on a stretcher — was rushed inside, Hajime following close behind. I began to go with them, but Hajime stopped me.

"No, Satsuki." He said. "You've hurt her enough." Then he left.

Her stomach was flip-flopping as she walked down the street and her head was still splitting. Her knees buckled and she fell to the ground in a heap.

Momoko was brought to a room where she was told to get a lot of rest. When everyone else left, Hajime went and knelt beside the girl.

"Hey, feeling' better?" he asked.

She nodded her head. "Much."

The boy could hear voices coming from the hall.

"No, she just collapsed on the street. I didn't know what to do."

"Okay. We'll get her a room."

Then there were footsteps and someone was put into the next room. As Hajime left to go home he glanced in to see who the new patient was. His eyes widened and he ran inside.

"Zoë! What happened to you?"

But she wasn't paying any attention to him; her gaze focused on the plain white wall. Her eyes held a mixture of fear and hate. She finally turned to face Hajime and said in a quiet voice. "Who's next to me?"

"Momoko. You remember her, right?"

She seemed to flinch slightly then let her eyes lower to the floor. "Sorry to hurt you so many times."

"Huh? What did _you_ do?"

"It's all my fault that he's here." She looked back up at Hajime, her black eyes shining. "He's here to kill me. No other reason."

"Who?"

"Shin."

**Author: Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Shin's scary! So do you guys like it? Was it too confusing? Too weird? Do I need to explain anything? Or did I do a good job? I will be adding Leo into this if any of you were wondering! But not till later. And you'll find out why he hasn't really been in it. It's kinda sad. sniff, sniff Well, I should get Chapter Eleven up sooner if I can get on the internet! Well, bye!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Author: Wow. I typed this chapter really quickly! Yay! This also switches up a lot so be prepared. I hope you all like it!**

**Chapter Eleven**

The young boy sat in the corner, his arms wrapped around his knees. He never let his eyes leave his captor resulting in an attitude of fear. Of course, he had always been afraid, but now without any sleep, every little noise made the boy jump. But he kept his act up.

Keiichirou glared at Rene. "I demand you let me go!"

Rene glanced at him, but the expression wasn't of one in charge, but of a hurt boy. Hie eyes were glassy with tears as he said. "I didn't want to hurt her; only help."

"Huh?"

But the moment of softness was soon dashed away as Rene climbed to his feet, his eyes filled with a deep coldness. "I am not answering any of your foolish questions, but you shall answer this: Do you want to save your sister?"

The boy looked confused. "My sister? She's hurt? In trouble?"

"Yes. Do you want to save her?"

Keiichirou nodded his head vigorously. "Of course I do!"

"Then join me." H held his hand out to the boy.

"Who is Shin?"

"It doesn't matter. Where's Keii? Is he all right?"

"Keii?"

"Yeah. Satsuki's little brother. Did he make it out all right?"

"From where?"

She tipped her head to the side. "Didn't Satsuki tell you? About Rene—"

"Stop! I do _not_ want to hear about him. From Satsuki or you. I just don't!"

She turned away from him. "You don't understand. No one ever does. No one understands my pain. No on e understands how many loved ones I've lost. But all everyone else can think about is themselves. I don't get you people." She let her eyes rest on Hajime's face. "Maybe your heart is breaking because you don't know the whole story. You don't know the truth and you're breaking inside because you think the world is against you. But…if you would just _listen_."

He stared at her steadily then nodded his head. "Okay. Tell me everything."

How could he? How could he? How could he leave me all alone? I wiped the tears off my face with the back of my hand, my heart hurt and broken. What happened to that moment of compassion he had shown me? What happened to the 'I love only you'? What happened to the Hajime I had a crush on when my eyes had first rested on him? What happened?

I shivered with fear; every little sound was magnified making it echo in my thought filled head. The sound of a car off in the distant. The sound of a child's laughter. The sound of footsteps…following me.

Join me.

The voice echoed in Keiichirou's head as he stared at Rene's outstretched hand. The young boy reached his arm forward.

Hajime was stunned into silence when Zoë had finished her story. The girl swung her legs over the edge of the bed and climbed to her feet, taking a step forward even as the world spun around her in lop-sided circles. Hajime reached out to stead her.

"We have to save Keiichirou!" Zoë cried out.

But a doctor was fast approaching. Hajime pushed the ghost girl back onto the small hospital bed then dashed for the door.

"Hajime!"

He stopped.

"Meet me outside that window…" She jerked her thumb at the only source of natural light in the room. "…in an hour. Deal?"

"Sure. Whatever."

Then he was gone.

She couldn't see anything except for the darkness all around. Shadows stretched across the floor of her mind. There was a strange echoing noise like someone talking in the distance.

_Satsuki_. No sound came out.

I threw a quick glance over my shoulder, but I couldn't see anyone. Only the empty, desolate street. Maybe it was only my active imagination, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched. My every move. My every breath. My every heartbeat.

Their hands were now only inches apart.

She jumped out the window landed squarely on her feet in a low crouch. She straightened up and stepped forward to meet Hajime.

"Let's go!" She yelled and they took off down the street.

"Where are we going?"

She looked back at him before answering. "It's a place where I used to stay. Before I was living with the Miyanoshitas"

They walked in silence the rest of the way until an old barn came into view and Zoë slowed her pace.

"Is this it?" Hajime asked.

"Yes. It's called _Sherayana_ meaning cursed."

"Cursed And you _lived_ here?"

"Only at night, but hurry up! Let's go!"

She slipped out of the hospital bed her purple hair flowing down to her back.

"The time has come." She said in a low voice. "The time of judgment."

_Why?_ Rene thought. _Why all the pain?_ And he withdrew his hand.

The echoes were getting louder filling my screaming mind with even more fear. _Help me!_ I tried to scream as I raced down the street, but my vocal cords refused to function right.

The bard door burst open making both of the occupants inside jump. Rene leapt to his feet and made a dash for the only other exit — a window. When he had disappeared from sight Keii climbed to his feet and ran towards the door right into the ghost girl.

"Zoë!" he cried and flung his small arms around her.

She hugged him back and ruffled his hair. "Hey, kid, you okay?"

He nodded then asked the one question that he had been dying to ask. "Where's my sister? Where's Satsuki?"

"Yeah." I said turning to face Hajime. "Where is she?"

He shrugged. "I haven't seen her since I brought Momoko to the hospital."

"What?! You left her _alone_?! Are you crazy?!"

He opened his mouth to speak.

"No! Don't answer that! Come on! We have to go find Satsuki!" At that the tree people raced out of the barn.

Voices whispered in my head, telling me to just give up and lay down my will, but I refused to listen to the persisting voices. My hands were clenched tightly as I ran in the direction of my house, but I never seemed to get any closer and the footsteps only seemed to get louder.

Turn. Something hissed in my head. You're going the wrong way. Turn.

I turned then instantly froze and began to retrace my steps, but it was already too late. She was standing in front of me, her purple hair fluttering in the wind. I took a fearful step backwards my whole body trembling.

Momoko's jet black eyes were directed on my face and I could practically feel her probing through my mind, but then of course she wasn't human. Not anymore. That is, the thing inside my best friend wasn't human. Everything was completely quiet and still for a moment then Momoko let out a blood-curdling scream and attacked me.

He couldn't interfere. He couldn't save her. Not without risking Zoë's life. No one knew. No one understood him. His pain. He wasn't evil, only…confused. He didn't hate, only followed. But no one cared.

**Author: Okay. How weird was that? I hope it was good. And if any of you have suggestions for me just tell me. Like if I'm doing something wrong or it's way too boring or too unrealistic. Whatever.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Author: Oi! I finally got it to log me in! So sorry that it took forever! I hope you all can find it in your hearts to forgive me!**

**Well chapter twelve is finally up! Read and review!**

**Chapter Twelve**

Her eyes flashed with hate as she dug her fingernails into my arms. The whole placed seemed to be filled with my painful cries. I could see some people peaking out their windows, but no one came to help me. I was all alone. Momoko threw me onto the ground. "You've almost ruined everything, human." She hissed. "Going for my pet that way!"

"Y-your pet?"

She sneered at me. "Yes. Rene. He's such a fool. Does he really think that I won't kill his pathetic girlfriend if he continues to listen to my every whim?"

"What? I have not idea what you're talking about."

She ignored me. "But if he couldn't have her, he would have someone else, but I cannot allow him to do that. If he loves someone, he won't follow me. Well, his girlfriend is taken care of. He won't go near her and when he does…ha! Well, I'm sure you've seen what happens. No…I just have to kill you."

"But I love Hajime, not Rene."

Momoko threw back her head and laughed up at the sky then let her gaze rest on me again. "You lower me down to mortal standards, girl, but I can look right into your heart. You think that you're so loyal to your boyfriend, but you're not. I saw they way you looked at my pet."

"That's not true!" I was on the verge of crying.

"Oh, but it is, so now you will die."

Then she was holding a knife with a gleaming black blade, which instantly reminded me of Rene's sword. She advanced on me, but I was frozen in place not even able to climb to my feet in order to defend myself. Then the blade was plummeting towards my body as Momoko smiled wickedly.

Suddenly a loud bang filled the air and the knife went clattering into the distance out of my best friend's reach. As I turned to look at her I saw that blood was oozing out of her hand, and she stared at the scarlet red liquid with so much confusion.

She finally tore her gaze away to look up at me then just collapsed on the street. I rushed over to her side and checked her body for wounds, but couldn't find any cause for her to pass out. But then I noticed a thin stream of black fog spilling out of the cut on her hand. And a few more wisps leaking out of her mouth and eyes like something from a horror movie.

I jumped backwards in fear as the smoke began to take on a solid form. I instantly recognized it as the demon from my dreams. I was terrified as the creature took a step closer to me his wings spread out to their full length. My hands shook by my side and my head was spinning.

_**No one can save you now, mortal.**_ He hissed in my head. _**Your soul belongs to me**_

I shook my head and backed farther down the street. "N-n-n-no!" My whole jaw trembled, making it hard to speak. "P-p-please!"

_**You shall have not mercy, mortal.**_

He stretched his black clawed hand out towards me, but again the air was filled with a loud bang and the creature jumped back with a shriek a stream of black smoke billowing out of his chest.

He shot me a furious look. _**Your time will come yet.**_

Then he disappeared in a hazy fog. I raised my tear filled eyes to gaze around the now quiet and empty street while gingerly touching the cuts and bruises on my arms. As I sank to my knees with complete exhaustion a sound caught my ear. A sound of boots echoing on the pavement.

I glanced around my eyes peeled, but could not fix on any moving object. My gaze finally rested on a figure in black walking in my direction. Rene. My heart began to beat wildly within my chest with what I believed was terror; but then again I knew that I wasn't afraid at all. Then he was standing above me his had stretched out. I grabbed for it desperately and he pulled me back to my feet.

"Rene—" I began, but he cut me off by placing his hand on my lips.

_So gentle._ I thought.

"Don't speak." he said. "You're not safe yet."

So loving.

"I don't understand. What on this freaking earth is going on?"

He tucked a strand of my auburn hair behind my ear.

So thoughtful.

"No use talking about it right now. You've been pained enough. I don't want to break you anymore."

So handsome.

I raised my eyes to look in his face. "My name is Satsuki."

He smiled at me. "Rene. Of course you already knew that."

I nodded my head.

So perfect.

I could feel his breath hot against my face and I cold feel my heart speeding up. He reached a hand behind me and placed it gently on my head then put his other hand on my lower back and pulled me closer to him. I threw my arms around his neck and leaned into his embrace.

"Satsuki." His mouth was right next to my ear.

"Rene…I—"

He pulled back slightly so he could look into my eyes. "What's wrong?"

"It's just…I…I…I love Hajime."

I expected him to get mad, but he let go of me a small smile on is lips. "I understand." He said, but his smile quickly disappeared as his gaze landed on my bleeding arms. He opened his mouth to speak, but I rushed past him when I noticed that Momoko was lying on the ground and just waking up. I knelt down by her side.

"You okay?" I asked.

She looked at me in total confusion. "Where am I? What's going on? Who is that? Why is my hand bleeding? Why—"

"One question at a time, Momo. We're about a mile from my house."

"What are we doing here?"

"You…had an accident. And we were bringing you to the hospital."

She glanced down at her hand. "Is that why I'm bleeding?"

"Uh…not exactly, but sort of."

"Well then…who's that?"

I followed her finger to where Rene was pacing. "Oh, that's Rene."

He looked over at us when I mentioned his name and I noticed the fear shining in his black eyes.

"Who's Rene?"

I turned back to Momoko. "Remember. He's the one that Hajime thinks I'm in love with."

"Aren't you?"

"NO! I love Hajime!"

She tipped her head to the side her purple hair spilling all over the ground. "Then why were you totally hitting on him? The hands around the neck and all."

I could feel my facet turning red. "You saw that?"

She nodded. "Yep."

"But I thought that you were unconscious."

"I was, but then I woke up and saw you going for him. Totally cheating on your boyfriend…"

"Hajime broke up with me."

"Because you were cheating on him."

"NO! That's not true!"

She glared at me. "Yes it is! You're just a rotten cheat on your boyfriend fraud!"

"Fraud?! What is that supposed to mean?!" I screamed as I jumped to my feet with fury.

Momoko also climbed to her feet. "Oh, Hajime I love you." she said in a mocking tone. "But I love the man in black better! Fraud!"

My blood seemed to be boiling within my veins. "Stop it! You're just jealous that you can't get a boyfriend!"

"I had Hajime until you stole him!"

"But he's always loved me!"

"You're not a very loyal girlfriend though!"

My fist slammed into her body and she went flying backwards until she fell down onto the pavement with a sickening crunch. Her scream cut through the quiet air. I began to move closer to her to hit her again, but Rene had taken a firm hold on my arm. I struggled against him, but his grip was like a vice.

Momoko climbed back to her feet clutching her now broken arm before dashing down the street. I pulled against Rene then finally broke down into tears and let my head rest against his chest.

"Why?" I cried. "Why did I hit her? What's wrong with me?"

"Shh." He coaxed me. "Just breathe in deeply. Everything will be alright."

His arms were tight around me and each breath was a struggle for me. My eyes were heavy like lead and my mouth was very dry. My whole body seemed to be burning.

"Rene—"

"Shh. Don't waste your breath."

"What?"

"Good night, Satsuki."

I fell into his arms my body completely limp.

**Author: So? How'd everyone like it? I hope it wasn't too confusing. If anyone has questions feel free to ask. And once again I am extremely sorry for taking so long.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Author: Okay. Chapter Thirteen is finally ready. Sorry it took so long. I'm not very good at keeping up the pace anymore. Heh. Well, please read and review.**

**Chapter Thirteen**

"Satsuki!" Hajime screamed as he turned the corner and noticed the girl's limp body in Rene's arms. The boy glanced up at the noise then set his unconscious victim down on the ground. Hajime's fist flew through the air towards Rene, but he just simply stepped out of the way

"It's not what it seems." He said in the most confident voice anyone there — with the exception of Zoë — had ever heard.

Keiichirou stood there staring at his sister, his eyes as wide as saucers. "So, _that's_ what you meant!" He cried looking up at Rene. "If I didn't obey you, you were going to hurt my sister! And you did!"

Rene didn't even blink, then slowly turned to Zoë who had remained quiet the entire time since arriving. "My cover's up." he said.

She glanced at him. "What?"

"No more pretending."

"I…I don't understand."

"I'm sure that you can picture what happened, Zoë. Think of a black creature with long claws and wings."

The ghost girl's eyes widened. "You mean—."

He nodded his head. "His poison. He was going to kill her, but…my gun can do many tricks."

Zoë threw back her head and burst into laughter at the astonishment of her two companions. She stopped. "You mean besides hurting me?"

"Of course."

Hajime stared at the pair in shock. "Since when did you two get on such good terms with each other?" He asked with astonishment as he knelt down beside Satsuki's still body. "Isn't he a demon? I mean Satsuki did dream about him."

Rene laughed at that. "She didn't dream about me!"

"But, Satsuki said—."

"She was wrong."

"But…she saw you…and…you were pretending to be…me."

Rene laughed again. "No! It wasn't me!"

Hajime's hands clenched into fists. "Would you quit saying that! If it wasn't you, then tell me who it was!"

"The same one who did that!" His finger was aimed at the prone body lying on the cold pavement.

"But you did that!" Keiichirou screeched. "You killed my sister!"

"She's not dead." Rene's voice had taken on a dangerous tone. "She's only in a State of Torment."

"State of…Torment?" Hajime.

The boy's eyes flashed with something that was very close to either joy or fear. "She may possibly die, but only _you_ can save her."

The air was filled with fire. It burned my skin, but gave me not scars. It stung my eyes, but never took away my sight. There was a sound like someone grinding his teeth together. My whole body trembled as someone in the distance screamed out in agony. The first thing that I thought when I had taken a grasp of my feelings enough to actually think was that I had died and…this wasn't heaven.

"HEY!" I yelled.

_HEY_!

_Hey_!

_Hey_!

_Hey_.

My voice echoed back to me.

I wrapped my arms around myself as suddenly I became bitterly cold. As if I was swimming in icy water. None of it made any sense. Not with the flames billowing up around me.

A tremor overtook Hajime's whole body. "But what am I supposed to do. I'm too weak to save her." He hung his head.

Zoë grabbed his arm and turned him around until he was facing her. "Don't say that." she said. "A weak person can't do what you've done."

"And what have I done?"

"You stayed loyal to Momoko even though you knew that you'd never really be able to love her the way you did with Satsuki. You're something that I'll never be able to be."

The boy turned away from her. "But a strong person doesn't listen to the devil." He turned back to the ghost girl. "It's all my fault that Satsuki's in…that State of…Torment. I sent her away. I told her that she wasn't wanted. I told her that I couldn't love her. I broke her heart, Zoë. I ruined her. And if you think that that's something a wonderful person would do, I think you need a psychiatrist."

"But, Hajime…" Her eyes sparkled. "…only a good person can admit their own mistakes and you've admitted a lot."

Zoë's eyebrows scrunched together in concentration, and she turned around to face Rene. "Hang on a second. I thought that you were working with Shin. Why are you trying to save Satsuki now?"

Emotion swept over his face and everyone seemed to be taken aback, including the ghost girl. Rene turned his head away as if embarrassed about the way he was acting, before speaking. "I can't bare to see it happen to anyone else." He finally looked over at the ghost girl. "Zoë, I've never hated you."

"Then why do you always try to kill me?!" The girl nearly shrieked.

His eyes were misted over with tears, portraying the perfect figure of a lost and helpless boy. "It was a pact I made. I couldn't break it, but I never meant to kill you. Only frighten you, so he would leave you alone."

"What?"

"I never wanted to leave you, Zoë, but Shin made me."

The ghost girl's hands clenched into fists. "No one can make you do anything! You have free will! God made you like this so you could _choose_ to love him. Because what is the point of love if it was forced upon someone?"

"I can't believe that way, Zoë. I just cant'."

"Of course you can! You just don't want to!"

He shook his head in distress. "No. It's too late for me now. I've sold my sold to the devil. And there's no getting it back."

"Rene—."

"I can't save myself now. Only you." He looked down into Zoë's eyes. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me and look how I've treated you. I've hurt you so much. Physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I've seen the way you just stare into space. I've seen you cry bitter tears at night. And I've seen you falling away from your almighty God."

Her eyes were directed at the ground as she spoke. "I've asked for forgiveness so many times, but…" She looked back up at Rene. "…I've never really meant it because all I could think about was my love for you. I couldn't even remember how God showed his love. I was blind! But I can see it all now and Rene…" She grabbed his hand. "…I want you to see it also. I want you to accept it."

During this conversation Hajime had been deep in though on his predicament. He finally raised his head, his mind made up. "What do I do?"

**To be continued…**

**Author: So? How is it? I hope it's not WAY too confusing.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Author: Sorry that it took me forever to get the next chapter up. Our computer has been going so slow and I haven't found time to type all of the stuff out lately. But I finally got this chapter and a bit of fifteen on Microsoft Word. Yay.**

**Chapter Fourteen**

I was terrified and alone. The flames billowed up around me, making me choke on the thick gray smoke. Voices screamed in the distance filling my frazzled mind, making me cry out in confusion. I could see someone walking towards me, like a mirage in the desert. The steam coming from the leaping flames around me obscured my vision of the form in front of me. My body trembled and my mouth had suddenly gone dry, but then I heard a voice.

"Satsuki? Where are you?"

I meant to call out, but my throat had tightened up at the sound of Hajime's voice. I stretched my hand out to the figure on the other side of the fire and tried to hold back the tears that pricked at the back of my eyelids.

Hajime!

My mouth moved, but my vocal cords produced no sound. Hajime was just standing there, his body was hazy from the heat's steam, yet I could see every small detail on his body. His brown hair was slightly disheveled and his large eyes were moist with unshed tears. His white tee shirt was stained with mud and his blue jeans had a large rip right at the knee. His cheeks had thin tearstains running down to the tip of his chin, but the only thing that confused me was that he did not appear to be surrounded by the eternal flames.

I took a step forward flinching when the flame's heat burnt my pale flesh leaving a small perfectly round mark. I had finally given up on trying to hold back my sorrow when I realized either Hajime wasn't really there or he couldn't even see me at all. Teas were streaming down my face as I stood there choking on the sobs that came out of my throat.

"Hajime." My voice was so soft that it wouldn't even have been considered a whisper. "Hajime."

But my words didn't reach his ears and he turned away. I could hear a strangled sob slip out of his mouth then he said in a sorrow-laden voice. "I'm sorry, Satsuki. I wish you were here to hear me, but under the circumstances…" he paused for a second then continued. "I'm sorry for what I did to you. I really am. I never meant to break you the way I did. I was only trying to protect you, but…" He took a deep breath. "…I realize now that that was a stupid way to take care of the one that I love. And yes, Satsuki, I love you. I love you with all my heart."

He stopped then and began to walk away. I took a step closer to him ignoring the flames that began to eat away at my skin. The pain seemed to give me just enough strength to call out.

"Hajime!"

He froze and looked back over to where I stood, but his gaze only seemed to go right through my body. Like I wasn't there. His eyes were clouded with confusion and I knew that he only though that he was hearing things, but he didn't turn away again. Instead, he came closer to me, his mouth parted ever so slightly.

I stretched my hand out to him right into the burning fire. The flames coiled around my arm beginning at my wrist and climbing up to my elbow, but I ignored the biting pain.

"Hajime, don't leave me." My pleading voice was overtaken by a series of broken, shaking sobs. "Please stay."

Hajime glanced around as if looking for the source of the voice. "Satsuki." he whispered. "Where are you?"

"Here." The tears streamed down my cheeks in small rivulets. "Right in front of you."

He sucked in his breath and stared right at me, although his eyes went right through me to the flames beyond. "That's impossible." he said.

I stepped closer my eyes burning with the intense heat. "Don't look with your eyes, Hajime for this place isn't physical. Use your heart. Your soul. Look beyond what you see to what you shouldn't be able to."

I saw him close his eyes blocking off the overflow of tars and when he opened them again they seemed to burn with a terrible fire. His body had changed slightly. Instead of looking calm and upset, he now looked horrified yet thankful when his gaze rested on me. He ran closer to me, but stopped when the flames rose up around him.

"Satsuki!" he cried. "Are you alright?"

A small smile played along my lips. "I am now." I stepped farther into the burning heat, ignoring Hajime's cries of protest. "Hajime, I understand this place. I was brought here to be hurt and broken, but it's only lifted my spirits." The flames began to burn my hair.

"Satsuki!" Hajime yelled. "You don't know what you're talking about!"

My smile turned into a quizzical grin. "It's all about love, Hajime. The flames have no effect on me anymore because the fire of my love for you has overwhelmed my pain." My clothes caught on fire.

"Satsuki! Go back! You're killing yourself!"

"Hajime…" My voice faltered for a second and it was then that I realized the truth. I was dying. The flames were eating away at my flesh. My eyes widened with unspeakable horror. "Hajime…I love you." My body collapsed, the flames covering me entirely.

Keiichirou stared down at his sister's still body , and the body of Hajime beside her. He closed his eyes and turned his head away as if to hide the tears that slid down his pale cheeks. His eyelids flickered open and his head snapped back to the two forms when Satsuki let out a small whoosh of air.

The young boy knelt down by her side. "Satsuki, can you hear me?"

Rene placed his hand on Keii's shoulder. "No, she can't for she has taken her last breath."

Keii looked up at him this time not caring who saw the tears. "You mean she's…"

"Yes. She's dead."

Her body was still and covered with the scars caused by the flames. Hajime placed a soft kiss on her pale lips. "How could you, Satsuki? How could you be so stupid?"

He pushed a lock of her reddish brown hair behind her ear and placed his trembling hand gently on her cold cheek. Salty tears flowed won his cheeks, spilling onto her face with a soft patting noise. The boy wiped the liquid away with the back of his hand then pulled Satsuki into his arms. He climbed to his feet and walked away from the fiery place.

Hajime's eyes opened along with a bombardment of tears. Zoë was instantly by his side and she wrapped him in her arms, letting him weep into her shoulder.

"Shh." She cooed. "It's not over yet."

He pulled away shaking his head wearily. "No, Zoë. Satsuki is dead." He gazed down at her body. "And she's not coming back."

The ghost girl turned away. "I'm sorry." She walked away out of sight, Rene following close behind her. Keiichirou walked up to Hajime then in a quiet voice said, "What happened?"

The older boy glanced at him. "There were so many flames, and she…" he shook his head as if trying to clear it of the awful memory.

"But her body has not scars."

"That's because her body wasn't there. It was her spirit."

"But why did she have to die?" Keii's eyes gazed up at Hajime. "Why didn't she at least say good-bye to me?"

Hajime pulled the little boy into his embrace. "Keii, I'm sure she wanted to say good-bye to you, but she couldn't, and it's all my fault. She tried to tell me that you were in trouble, but I sent her away."

Keiichirou buried his face in Hajime's shirt. "What am I supposed to tell Dad? He already lost Mom and now Satsuki."

Hajime tipped Keii's face up until he was gazing steadily into his eyes. "He only has you left now, so you must be strong. Okay?"

The boy nodded. "Okay."

"Zoë, stop!" Rene cried grabbing the girl's arm and forcing her to turn around. "What the heck is wrong with you ?"

She pulled away. "Why do you care?"

"Zoë—."

"Stop! I don't understand you , Rene! First I'm the only one who you could ever possibly love, then when you turn psycho demon you fall for the ghost hunter girl who by the way already had a boyfriend. And in doing so he broke up with her, resulting in her tragic death."

Rene stared dumbly at her for a second then said, "I'm not perfect, Zo. And in case you haven't noticed I'm a guy and it's in my nature to be drawn to —."

"That's not true! You just choose that!"

He smirked at her. "But it's my sin nature."

She turned away from him, her breathing short and shallow. After what seemed like hours, but was in reality only mere seconds, Zoë said, "I can't help, but feel that I could have done something to save Satsuki." Her voice was filled with regret and grief.

Rene placed his hand on her shoulder. "Don't dwell on it. It's over and the only thing that you can do now is worry about her brother and boyfriend. They need you now, Zo."

The ghost girl turned to look into Rene's black eyes. "You're right."

The ghost stared intently at the two people outside, her body glitching in the rays of the setting sun. The immortal and his little pet. She couldn't help but wish that she was human and capable of love, but as a being of the living dead she was destined to haunt the old school house and have emotions similar to that of a rock.

She placed her hands against the window's glass and pushed it up letting in a draft of cold air. The ghost wrapped her arms around herself against the breeze although she felt nothing. No warmth or cold. She couldn't even feel emotion. Only the hollow, empty space inside her where her heart had been when she was a mortal.

"They're so clueless." The ghost whispered, her whole body disappearing for a second. "Even the immortal. He may have beaten me once, but I won't let him win again. I, Shayla, will once again be able to feel the love that I was once overwhelmed with."

At that she leaned out the window as if to get a better view of the lovers below then floated outside landing softly on the ground.

To be continued…

**Author: Well the story is finally almost over. I'm just trying to wrap it all up. I know I was going to do a bit more than this, but all the stuff I actually had written didn't fit in with the story line, so I had to get rid of all of it. Sorry.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Author: Okay. So…it's almost over, but I'm probably gonna write a seaqual to it. Hm. yeah. Most likely. Well…I hope you enjoy the chapter and give me some reviews!**

**Chapter Fifteen**

Momoko was in her room, kneeling on the floor, her elbows leaning on the bed, and her hands folded tightly against her head. "Jesus," She choked out a whisper. "Help me. Please. I really do love Hajime—even though he is a pervert—but I don't want to anymore. He loves Satsuki, and I don't want to lose her friendship. I don't want all of these mixed and confused feelings. I want to be able to forgive my friend, but it's just so hard. And I need you to help me, Lord. I really do. Amen"

"Hi, Momoko."

The girl twisted around to see the ghost girl standing in the doorway.

"I heard you praying." Zoë said. "And I'm sure that Jesus will answer. I know how it feels to lose the one you love, but if he isn't the one God has planned for you, you'll find someone else."

"Well, what about you? You haven't found anyone else to love."

Zoë flinched. "That's…not true." Her voice was barely even a whisper. "I met someone two weeks after Rene went crazy, and I fell in love with him. I knew that we were made for each other. I loved God, and he loved God. We wanted to be together. Forever. But one day he was found dead in his bedroom. He supposedly committed suicide, but I knew that that wasn't true. He had been murdered. By Rene."

Momoko stared at her. "Then how can you still love him?"

"Because that's what love is. Jesus didn't have to come to die for us, but He did because of His love. God forgave us, and He wants us to forgive others. He wants us to love others as He loved us."

"But it's just so hard. It feels like there's a hand wrapped around my heart making me do what I don't want to."

"There is a hand. It's Shin. A demon from hell. He's trying to shake your faith in Jesus Christ. Don't let him win."

"Why would God allow this to happen to me?"

Zoë sat down nest to Momoko. "Have you ever read the book of Job in the Bible?"

"Mhm."

"Well, this is a test of faith. Shin is trying to make you deny God."

Momoko was silent.

"Try to forgive Satsuki, Momo."

The girl nodded, and Zoë stood up to leave. "Good-bye." she whispered.

The thought had occurred to her that she should have told Momoko while she was there, but she had wanted the girl to forgive Satsuki before she found out that she was dead. She wanted her to care before she knew that it was all over. But she was sure that it would break her heart even more.

Zoë walked swiftly down the street until she found where Hajime was still talking to Keiichirou. Telling him to be brave and strong. She walked up to them and Keii instantly latched onto her leg. "Bring Satsuki back. Please bring her back."

The ghost girl wrapped her arms around his trembling shoulders. "I'm sorry, Keii. I'm so sorry. But I can't bring her back. I don't have the power to raise the dead. I can't do it. But…if you have faith in Jesus Christ I know things will work out. They always do."

Hajime didn't even bother looking at her. His heart was too shattered. "Satsuki wasn't a Christian. So, you're saying that she's gone to hell?"

Zoë blinked back tears. "This is hard on me too. If not harder—."

"Harder?!" The boy whirled around the glare at Zoë. "We were _in love_! And you're just a stupid ghost that decided to show up and ruin our lives. And now she's dead. And it's all your fault."

She couldn't hold the salty liquid back anymore. It trailed down her cheeks till it dripped off her chin and onto the pavement. "That's exactly what I meant."

"What?"

"I'm sure you've never felt guilt before, Hajime. Well, at least not the deep heart wrenching guilt you feel when something terrible happens, and you know that it only happened because you got involve. You'll never know what that feels like. You're not like me. You never will be. Unless…unless…" The ghost girl's eyes widened with horror and she took shaky steps backward.

"Oh no. What have I done? _What have I done?_"

At that she turned around and ran down the street. Never looking back.

Rene was watching from in the distance, and when he saw Zoë run away he knew that she had finally figured it out. So, he followed her. Waited until she finally stopped fleeing and collapsed onto the hard ground and sobbed into her knees. Then he walked over to her and pulled her into a comforting embrace. She buried her face in his chest and began to let out heart wrenching sobs.

"There, there, Zo. Everything will be all right. You'll see. Don't worry." Rene whispered into her ear.

She shook her head. "No. I've ruined everything for them. Their whole lives. I…I…I can't do this anymore. I want to die."

The boy sighed and pulled his friend closer. He ignored the biting pain of her fingernails as the dug into his skin and only concentrated on her uncontrolled weeping. She finally pushed herself away and turned away as if ashamed of her childish behavior. She gulped at the air then shook her head finally deciding that her act was foolish.

"Zo, please talk to me."

She shook her head. "There's nothing to say. Why didn't you warn me? About what would happen I mean? I didn't want to curse anyone else like we're cursed. It's cruel. You should have told me."

Rene laughed slightly. "You forget that we were trying to kill each other. You wouldn't have believed me."

Zoë shook her head again. "But…but…they'll all lose their families. They'll all lose the ones the love. They'll all be doomed to wonder alternate worlds for all eternity."

The boy threw back his head and laughed. "Is that how you look at all of this?"

She glared at him. "Of course. Why do you consider it vacation?"

"No…but…they will have each other." Rene replied then as an after-though: "More than I can say about us."

"What?"

He gave her a shaky laugh before scrambling to his feet and somehow found immense pleasure with the rocky ground.

"Rene!" The ghost girl cried also climbing to her feet. "What are you saying?"

Hajime and Keiichirou walked down the street together towards the Miyanoshita residence. The young boy was broken and scared. He didn't know what to do without his sister. He didn't know what to tell his father. He didn't know if he could go on anymore. Not with both his mother and sister gone.

The sun was quickly disappearing behind the horizon, and the sky was stained with color. The wind could just barely be heard whistling through the trees as they were soon shrouded with darkening shadows that blotted out all light.

As the house came into view, Hajime stopped dead in his tracks. Momoko was standing in front of the house, and when she saw the boy she ran over to him.

"Hey, Hajime! Where's Satsuki! I have to talk to her."

Both boys looked at her then at each other, at a loss for all words. Momoko grabbed Hajime by the collar of his shirt. "Hey! I asked you a question? Please! I need to know! I know I've been acting like a jerk, but…I have to talk to her. It's real important!"

"Momoko…"

"No! I don't want any excuses! Tell me where my friend is!"

Keii shook his head and turned around to race away.

"Keiichirou!" Hajime yelled, and the boy froze in his tracks. He slowly turned around tears spilling out of his large eyes.

"Hajime…" Momoko continued to insist. "Where—."

"She's dead! Alright!"

The girl stopped her ranting and stared at him as if he had just grown another pair of limbs. "What? No…you're lying. Satsuki can't be dead! She's only a teenager! She can't be dead!"

Zoë stopped when she saw the group of thee people ahead of her. She knew that Momoko had finally learned of Satsuki's death. She watched as the girl shook her head back and forth trying to deny the truth, and the ghost girl found herself wishing the same thing. And wishing that she had never come here. It was her fault that the teenager had been killed. It was her fault that everyone she had encountered here would be sucked away to different worlds just like she had. It was all her fault.

When Hajime saw Zoë walking towards them, he couldn't help the wave of hate that washed over his body. He blamed her for what happened to Satsuki. And he would never forgive her. Not as long as he lived. He would always hate her, and that's what he wanted.

Momoko glanced up then ran over to the ghost girl. "Did you know?" She demanded. "Did you know that my friend was dead?"

"Yes."

"Then what was up with your preaching? If I didn't know any better I would think that you're trying to turn me away from God. You knew this would happen didn't you?! You knew Satsuki would die! This is all your fault, Zoë!"

Suddenly, Rene was standing between them. He glared at Momoko who returned the expression with just as much hate…if not more. "No. I was wrong." She hissed. "It wasn't Zoë's fault. It was _yours_. Because you poisoned Satsuki's mind. This is all because of _you_."

He blinked at her, momentarily stunned, and then an icy smile crept across his face. "Oh really? Well, I happen to recall that you're the one who told her to go to hell."

"Wha—."

He gave her a sharp cold laugh. "You're a fool, Momoko."

Her hands curled into fists by her side. "Rene, you are a monster, and I'll never forgive you."

Zoë pulled the boy backwards until he was right in front of her. Her eyes were filled with solid determination. She placed her hand over Rene's heart then in her whispery voice said, "Satan is at work here. He's pulling you apart. Just think, boy. Don't say irrational things. Close your eyes and think. Listen to your breath. Listen to your heartbeat. Your pulse. Listen to me."

He did as she said and everything went eerily still. Rene bit his lower lip then squeezed his eyes shut tighter as if they would spring open any moment. He swallowed the lump in his throat then let his eyes drift open. "It's useless, Zo. I can't feel Him."

"You're not trying hard enough. Listen. Hear the wind. The birds. Their creations of God. Just listen. It's proof enough of His existence. Isn't it? Just listen."

"All right, all right. You already said that, but I'm just not you. I don't see this earth the way you do. I never will."

"God wouldn't accept you anyways." Momoko hissed at him. "You're too dirty. Not just tainted. Polluted. Filthy."

The girl's eyes widened with shock when Zoë's hand slammed into her face. She stared at her completely stunned that the ghost girl would hit anyone, then in a shaky sob dropped to the ground, tears biting into her skin. She tried to dash the salty liquid away with the back of her hand but the attempt was futile and only resulted in making her cry even harder. Zoë knelt down beside her and pulled her into her arms. "I'm sorry." She whispered in her soothing voice. "I didn't mean to give you false hope, but I wanted you to forgive your friend. And if you knew she was dead…it wouldn't have been possible. Please understand."

Momo nodded her head and wiped at her eyes again. "I just wish…I just wish…I…" She broke down into strangled sobs again.

"There, there." Zoë cooed. "It's okay. Don't worry. Everything will be all right. Let the tears spill, Momoko. Let your emotions out. It's worse to hold it in."

In between sobs Momoko managed to say, "I just wish my words to her hadn't been about how much she deserved hell, because now that's what she has. She didn't except Christ as her Savior, and it's all my fault."

"No…no…don't say that, dear. It's not your fault. You're only human. You can't make people change their minds."

"Yeah." Hajime hissed. "No one can make me change my mind."

Zoë glanced up at him and was shocked in the hate that flooded his eyes. She had never seen him look at anyone like that before and it frightened her. She climbed to her feet, her eyes still fixed on the boy. "Hajime? What…what…"

He turned away. "Shut up."

The ghost girl stared at him in shock. "What?"

He whirled around. "You heard me! Shut! Up! And go back to where ever you came from! No one wants you here anymore! All you do is cause pain! Satsuki is dead because of you and your stupid crazy friend! And you don't care! I haven't once seen you cry! Not since the entire time I've known you! You haven't shed a single tear! Because you never cared, Zoë! You never did! Even though Satsuki loved you like a sister, you still let her die! If your God is so powerful, why didn't he save her?" The boy's voice had finally fallen to a whisper as he fought back his emotions. "Why didn't he send angels to bring her back out of the pit of hell? And why did that demon go after _her_ and not _you_?!"

"Hajime—."

"No! Shut up!" He turned away again his whole body shaking.

Momoko placed her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Look, I know how you feel, but…doing this won't help at all. Zoë's not to blame."

He gave a cold laugh. "Yeah. You're right. It's _your_ fault!" He pushed her away from him and ran down the street without ever looking back.

Momoko stared at him torn between running after him and staying there, but even if she had chosen the former her feet would have still been rooted to the ground because of what he had said to her. _It's _your_ fault. It's _your_ fault._ Her fault. Her fault.

"My fault."

Zoë sighed and tried to pull the girl closer but she pushed herself away. "He's right." She said, brokenly. "It _is_ my fault. If I hadn't made such a big deal about Hajime breaking up with me. If I had only been more Christ-like. But I was being too selfish, and now Satsuki's dead because of _me_. All because of _me_. That demon used _me_ to attack her. He possessed _me_. _I_ killed her. _I_ did."

"No…"Zoë said, but Momoko didn't hear her because she too had run off.

Rene sighed and shook his head. "Well, I guess it's just you and me now."

The ghost girl's head snapped up. "What? Where's Keii? He was just right here."

"Probably went off with Hajime. That guy is the closest thing the kid has to a sibling now. Don't worry, Zo. We can leave this place now. Where's your necklace?"

"My necklace?"

"Yeah. You know, the silver cross that you always wear. The one that can bring us back and forth between worlds. The once you gave to Keiichirou to protect him from me. That necklace."

She stared at him blankly still not seeming to comprehend. She shook her head. "I haven't seen it since you kidnapped Keii."

Rene turned away. "Yeah. That stupid kid still had the necklace. He wouldn't let go of it until…until Satsuki took it from him. She must have had it. She…we have to find it."

"Why?" Zoë hissed out between clenched teeth. "What's the use? I don't want it. We don't need to travel worlds anymore. We can just let either fate or death take us. Either is fine with me." She squeezed her eyes shut tight against the emotional pain that swept across her body. She bit back a scream then stumbled away from her boyfriend's embrace.

"Zoë—."

She shook her head back and forth desperate for him to just go away and leave her alone to die, but she also wanted him to pull her into his arms and hold her until he couldn't hold her any longer. She wanted to hurt him and she wanted to kiss him. She wanted him to kill her and wanted him to let her live. With him. Forever.

"Zoë…"

"Please, Rene, don't. I can't bear it any longer. Please don't try to save me. I just want to die and nothing you say can make me change my mind."

To be continued…

Author: Well, that's chapter fifteen. Hope it was good. Chapter sixteen is gonna be real…weird…and most likely short cause I just want to end it and start up on the next story. Which will probably be better cause I'll have more cross overs and stuff.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I'm sooooooo sorry! I now I took so long in getting this up! I know you probably all hate me now. I hate myself so don't feel bad. I just kept putting it off and putting it off. And then I kept getting obsessed with other stuff. Sooooooo sorry. Well, this is the last chapter of this story. Please read and please forgive the months of waiting. I really am sorry.**

**Chapter sixteen**

A cold piercing rain was pelting the girl's body as she ran down the street with not a clue to where she was going. The only thing pounding through her head was a phrase containing only two words: My fault. The words repeated themselves over and over in her head until she couldn't take it anymore and she let out a broken scream that rattled in the quiet air. She sank down onto her knees the hard pavement biting into her unprotected skin.

The sky was split up with a bolt of lightning and Momoko's sobs where muffled by the rumbling thunder that fill the air. Then everything was bathed in a soft silvery light. She stared at her now pale glittery skin, confused then ran her finger along her arm.

"Momoko…"

The one word was barely even a whisper and the girl was left wondering if she had ever even heard it or if she had only imagined it, but a repeat of the name confirmed that she was not going insane. She glanced around looking for the source, but no on was there. Her spine tingled and she closed her eyes trying to think, but the voice continued to pester her.

"Momoko…"

Her eyelids slipped open and she turned her face up towards the rain that had begun to pour out of the sky and onto the broken and torn earth.

Hajime ran down the street. He felt better after yelling at Zoë and Momoko, but he didn't know why. He hadn't meant to hurt his friend, but the words had just tumbled out of his mouth. It had felt wrong of course, but something in it…had made him feel more in control. And for a moment he had forgotten about Satsuki. And he hated himself for it.

The rain poured down out of the charcoal gray clouds, soaking his clothes through and through. He finally stopped running and fell to the cold wet pavement, his tears mingling with the rain that landed on his cheeks and in his hair.

"Satsuki," he whispered, choking on the word. "Come back."

But of course nothing happened. She was gone. She would never come back to him. He squeezed his eyes shut and lowered his head, his hands clenching into fists on his legs.

"God," he hissed. "How could you take her!"

The rain had started so suddenly and Zoe raised her face upwards. Rene followed her gaze and his eyes narrowed. He walked closer to the ghost girl, but she didn't seem to notice. She stared straight up at the sky, the dark, almost black clouds, the clear rounded drops of water that landed on her face. Then she lifted her hands up, as if trying to catch the rain or grab the clouds, or…

"He's crying," she whispered.

Rene blinked. "What?"

"God is crying."

He shook his head. "Don't be foolish, Zoe. God isn't real. Man made him up."

She ignored him, stretching her arms even further.

"Zoe, God isn't crying. The world is breaking apart. They're going to be leaving soon. They're going to become like us."

She finally lowered her hands, her bottom lip trembling. "That can't be true."

"I'm sorry."

She shook her head back and forth then raced off into the rain headed towards the old school house. Maybe Rene had been right. She needed her necklace.

Keii stood in the middle of the street, his eyes raised to the sky. It was so strange. He wanted to be with his sister now. He wanted to die, but he knew that he couldn't let that happen. He was the only one that his father had left now. He couldn't leave him.

He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Momoko,"

The voice was a whisper, but it made her shiver in fear. It sounded so strange. Like an echo in a cave. She closed her eyes.

"Momoko, listen to me…"

Who was it? She knew the voice.

"Stand up, Momoko."

She obeyed, her knees trembling and almost buckling when she put her weight on them.

"Look, Momoko, look to the sky…"

She raised her eyes upward and stared in horror at what she saw. The sky was splitting open, a black ribbon blooming open and spreading outward. _The end of the world._ And where it appeared the rain vanished. Then a bolt of lightning shot out of the sky landing in front of her, but it froze there.

She stared stupidly at it. _That's impossible._ But it was there. Right in front of her. She reached forward hesitantly then touched it. She jerked backwards, but it was already too late. Her body began to fade away, disintegrating into nothing. She watched in horror as her hand disappeared, and then her whole body with it.

Hajime lifted his face towards the sky, anger fueling him on. "God, how could you do this! Satsuki didn't deserve to die! She didn't deserve it!"

As he continued to scream the sky suddenly split in two and a bolt of lighting landed in front of him. He jumped backwards, stumbling, scraping his knees on the road. But the streak of electricity didn't go anywhere. It stayed frozen in place. He crawled forward slowly and reached forwards.

_Don't touch it!_

He touched it.

She reached the building, Rene following closely on her heels. She raced inside, her feet pounding on the old rotten floors until she came to the classroom where Satsuki had hit her and knocked her out. And there the necklace was. She picked it up and held it next to her heart, then let her fingers close into a fist around it. It had been this necklace that had ruined everything. She shouldn't have given it to Keii. She hated herself for doing it.

"Zo…"

She shook her head at Rene. "I'm alright."

He nodded. "The others have probably already been zapped away. We should go too…"

Keii stared at the lightening in front of him. He knew that this couldn't be happening. He knew that this wasn't right. He sat down on the ground directly in front of it, his hand only inches away from the gleaming blue light.

Maybe…maybe this will change things…

It was a desperate thing to think, but…he couldn't do anything without his sister. He grabbed the lightening, power coursing through his small body. Then…then he was gone, too.

They had cleared the room out. Zoe had insisted on it. She said that she would have felt bad leaving the room and furniture a mess. Rene handed her a knife and she used it to slice her hand open. From the tip of her middle finger down to the bottom of her palm. And when the blood began to spill onto the floor she pressed the cross against her hand.

"Jesus gave his blood for use when he died on the cross. Now I give my blood for a way out of here. Dear Lord, bring me away."

Rene brought his hand up and put it against hers, so the necklace was in between both of their palms. There was a flash of blinding light and then an explosion and then…only silence.

**A/N: Cliffhanger! Now if you didn't hate me before. You probably do now! But my next one should be better because it will be a crossover with other shows! That should be fun to write! And again I'm sorry that it took me forever (seriously—forever) to get this last chapter up. But I hope you all enjoyed it and give me a bunch of reviews.**


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